#truly wish i was well enough at my age to not really be involved in fandom at all anymore but alas i am unwell and thus need the

[causticsunshine]

.

[a-crazy-fangirl]

SPN posting ahead!

This might be a controversial take, but I am firmly of the opinion that Dean full on settled for Lisa and didn’t really love her like he thought he did.

NOTE: I SAY THIS WITH ALL THE LOVE AND RESPECT FOR LISA!! My hand to God, I’m not trying to be a hater or anything like that. Lisa’s perfectly fine, I just think she and Dean aren’t compatible.

I think he stayed with her because she checked a lot of the boxes of what he thought he wanted. Like on paper, Lisa should be perfect for him. Lisa and her lifestyle embodies what Dean thought he wanted— a picket fence life away from hunting with a hot, down to earth woman and a good kid that idolizes him. It was what his Dad was fighting to avenge, so I think Dean internalized his dad’s desires and goals and saw it as the be all and end all of what someone should want. And again, like he was taught from a very young age, achievement of “goals” and “tasks” as defined by his dad should supersede whatever “””fantasies””” he had for himself (aka his own desires, thoughts, and feelings).

So in that light, maybe his emotional connection with Lisa wasn’t as good as he had experienced with other women, but she was supportive enough and offered a lifestyle that he thought he wanted, so he made due with her fully expecting the rest of the pieces to fall into place. I think he expected that, based on what his dad taught him, if he was a good partner and did what he was supposed to do, the love and happiness would inevitably follow.

I think the fact it didn’t was a part of the reason he went back to hunting with Sam so readily.

Above all, I think the failure of his relationship with Lisa was a moment of serious growth for Dean.

I want to preface this by saying I don’t think he settled intentionally like some kind of fuckboy. He truly cared about Lisa and Ben, without a doubt, and I fully believe he went into that relationship thinking he was right where he wanted and needed to be. I don’t think he went into it lightly or casually by any stretch of the imagination.

But I think his relationship with Lisa, and the way it failed over the course of season 5/6, taught him that a relationship has to be more than just your idealized concept of what a partner (and a relationship) should be. It also involves the connection and truth, no matter how messy or vulnerable that maybe. That, and that it doesn’t always match up with what you expect it should be.

What cements my theory for me is the relationships he had with people that were fully a part of his entire life, warts and all. He loved Cassie. He was on his way to loving Jo. He loved Benny. And he loved Castiel.

His connections with those who truly saw and understood him for who he was in his entirety were far deeper than what he got from someone so far removed from his life.

Looking beyond what’s textual and more into my spitball, head canon opinions, if the show had been fair to Dean, he would have ended up with a fellow hunter— I think that would have been the only way Dean could have had a “real” love interest. Dean is a very emotional man and I think he would need someone who really fully understood him. He never really got that in any long-term fling that was well depicted in the show, which sucks. I think, after everything, he deserved that. I wish we had had at least one lady that matched his freak

(It would have been Jo but the fandom motherfuckers in the mid/late 00s fucked that up for us 🤬)

TLDR!! Lisa strikes me more as someone who John would have liked Dean to pursue rather than someone Dean would have organically sought out on his own. For that reason, the relationship failed because it was what Dean thought he wanted rather than what he actually wanted.

[heliads]

sorry sorry, I'm spamming but I had this idea ages ago for a Luke Patterson x reader where the reader is an artist that does cover art for sunset curve promo.

Hear me out on this one; Luke tries to teach the reader how to play guitar and the reader tries to teach Luke how to draw. It doesn't end well, the reader is embarrassed that they can not play an instrument to save their life and Luke is embarrassed that he can't draw something as simple as a dog. But it's that thing where Luke finds it cute that the reader can't play even though they're trying hard and the reader finds it cute that Luke can't draw even though they are trying hard. And it just ends up all cute and mushy and ilysm I'm gonna marry you someday vibes.

i am once again reminding you that i miss jatp with every fiber of my being

masterlist

You are absolutely hopeless. It was one thing to sign up for this sort of job– artist by hour, some sort of after school nonsense that you were fitting in around your courseload so you could try and make at least a little bit of money– but it’s something entirely different to get involved in it like this.

Looking back, there was no reason for you to ever start feeling this way. When Sunset Curve first reached out to you over the opportunity to do the official art for their demo album, you were thrilled. They already had a decent sized following despite just having started, and you’d never created anything half so important as this. That’s how it felt, at least, like you were on the cusp of something new, something brighter than you’d ever experienced before. If only you knew how right you truly were.

It wasn’t just the job that was special, though, it was the people. Sunset Curve is made up of the four funniest, kindest, most amazing boys to ever walk the earth. You’re definitely not biased in that regard, not in the slightest. Reggie Peters cares more than anyone you’ve met before. Alex Mercer looks out for you every single minute of every single day. Bobby Shaw recognizes the potential in everyone who crosses his path.

And Luke? Luke Patterson, who greeted you with the widest smile you’ve ever seen the second he met you? Luke, who really should just be a friend? You couldn’t pin him down to one specific phrase if you tried. Luke is everything– creative, bold, bright, you name it. More importantly, he’s everything to you, but that’s because you happen to harbor a crush on him.

You couldn’t shake the aforementioned crush if you tried, but oh, how you wish you could. It does not do to spend every afternoon over there in Sunset Curve’s studio, pretending you’re sketching new designs for them or doing your homework when in reality you’re just wishing Luke might finally look up from his guitar and finally notice you as something other than a background character to his stellar world.

It’s not like Luke’s an asshole about it, it’s just true. Luke Patterson is so out of your league it’s crazy. Why would he ever look at you as something other than a friend or glorified coworker? Reggie and Alex have teased him enough times about flirting with anything that breathes that you know better than to overthink so much as a smile from him. Just because you happen to think the world of Luke doesn’t mean that he has to do the same thing about you.

That doesn’t stop you from almost losing your mind every time you hang out with the boy, though. In fact, you’re alone with Luke right now, and even though it’s pretty obvious Luke doesn’t take this to be anything other than a chance to spend time with a friend, you’re one accidental brush of hands away from screaming.

You had headed over to the boys’ studio early so you could think about some new designs for their albums, both the demo one and potential future numbers. You were given a key to the place a long time ago; the members of Sunset Curve accepted you with open arms and open doors back when you first started drawing for the band. 

Apparently they like having someone else there to force them to actually be productive and make music, but you’re not too sure about that. You swear that you end up talking to the boys for even longer than they manage to distract themselves, although that’s more fun than anything in your book. 

So, although you didn’t expect anyone to have issues with you showing up to the studio unannounced, you also weren’t expecting Luke to be there alone. You stand there for a moment, hovering over the threshold, wondering if you should leave or take this as your chance to finally get closer to him. 

Luke sees you and spares you from the indecision. “Come on in, Y/N. I’m not doing a whole lot, just practicing.”

You smile at him and step inside. “Technically, if you’re practicing that’s something. I just don’t want to bother you if you’re in a songwriting mood.”

Luke makes a face. “I would love to be in a songwriting mood, but the lyrics just don’t want to come. Please tell me you’re here as a distraction.”

You laugh. “I can be an excellent distraction when I wish, but I’m not all that interesting today. Just trying to get some ideas for a potential album cover.”

Luke watches you excitedly as you reach inside your bag for your sketchbook and some drawing supplies. “Are you kidding? That’s super interesting to me. Tell me, what direction is your grand artistic vision pulling you in now?”

You swat him lightly with your sketchbook. “There’s nothing grand about it, trust me. I’m here because I’m just as stuck as you are. Are you sure your next album can’t just have a completely blank design? Maybe one solid square of color? It would make it a lot easier on me.”

“Absolutely not,” Luke declares, “you’re already robbing us of our hard-earned cash, we at least deserve some designs in the bargain.”

The easy grin on his face tells you that he doesn’t mean a word of it. Luke and the other members of Sunset Curve have made it quite clear that they value your presence, both in art and in friendship. Besides, you have discounts when it comes to people you care about, and the members of this band are certainly that indeed.

“Well,” you smile, “if that’s the case, I’d better get on it.”

Luke watches as you do some thumbnail sketches for potential designs. His eyes never seem to leave your pencil as you shade in piano keys or trace the outline of a guitar.

At last, he breaks his meditative silence to pose a question. “How are you doing that?” He asks plaintively, “Every time I try to draw something, it takes me forever and ends up being a big eraser smudge. When you do it, though, you take two seconds and have a masterpiece.”

“I’ve been doing this for a lot longer than you have,” you remind him, “practice makes perfect, trust me on that. My first so-called masterpieces were just as full of eraser marks as yours.”

Luke harrumphs. “You’re just saying that. Embrace the fact that you’re extremely cool.”

“You’re just as cool as I am,” you counter, “you may be in awe of my art skills, but I think your music is way more impressive.”

Luke’s jaw drops. “No way. Half the time you’re in here, I’m messing up my chords.”

You grin. “That’s not true, and even if it was, that still makes you better than I am. I can’t even remember what a chord is, let alone how to play it right even half the time.”

Luke sits up straight, an idea occurring to him. “You know what? We can fix that. Let’s have a skills session. You teach me art and I’ll teach you music.”

“Just like that?” You ask, doubtful but smiling nonetheless.

“Just like that,” Luke confirms, and after that it’s decided.

Luke reaches over to grab his guitar. He places it on your lap, moving close to you so he can help guide your hands into position. You think your breathing might stop entirely from how it feels to have Luke’s breath hot on your cheek, his fingers wrapped around yours as he teaches you a chord. If you look up slightly, you can see how his face, no, his entire being is angled towards you. It is the most marvelous sight you have ever experienced.

Despite the beauty of the boy teaching you, your own mastery is far less substantial than you’d like. You can feel the shame of it heating up your cheeks as Luke reminds you of what you’re supposed to be learning for the umpteenth time. Watching Sunset Curve practice, you’d always wondered why you never picked up an instrument. This is reminding you of that reason:  you’re absolutely awful at it.

Eventually, your desire to seem at least somewhat capable in front of Luke wins out over your need to be so close to him and you carefully put the guitar in his lap.

“I think that’s enough for now,” you whisper, glancing away, “at this point, teaching me music is a lost cause.”

Luke shakes his head. “Hey, don’t feel too discouraged. It took me forever to learn. You wouldn’t believe how awful my fingerpicking was when I first started. You’re blowing my first attempts out of the water by a long shot, trust me.”

You laugh. “Somehow I find that hard to believe.”

Luke’s eyes are wide and earnest. “No, it’s true. Besides, I see this as an absolute win. If you can’t play the guitar, it means you need me around more often.”

Smiling, you ask:  “And is that a good thing?”

“Most certainly,” Luke breathes, and you think you might die just there, watching him look at you like you were worth so much more than you ever thought.

Luke comes to reality first, and looks away quickly, a faint pink blossoming over his cheeks. “If we’re trying to learn how bad we are at each other’s habits, though, I think it’s my turn to fail. It’s time for art lessons.”

You flip to a fresh page in your sketchbook and pass it over. Luke holds the thing reverently, and only through severe coaching do you manage to convince him to actually grip it tight enough to keep the paper steady. He keeps claiming that he doesn’t want to hurt such precious contents, but you think it might also just be a ploy to keep you laughing even just a little longer.

As much as you hate to admit it, Luke’s fears about not being able to pick up drawing might be true. You swear you give him easy subjects to start off, and despite an abundance of furrowed brows and studious expressions, Luke and art do not mix. 

At last, he looks up at you desolately and holds up graphite stained hands for you to witness. “See? It’s a losing battle, I swear.”

You bite back a smile. “It’s just like you told me about guitar, isn’t it? All you need is practice.”

You think you wouldn’t mind being there for a few more art practice sessions, either. Something about the way Luke is so devoted to trying to get this right, and all the while watching you draw out examples like you’re a living saint, makes your chest feel so tight that it might burst. You would gladly sink the rest of your afternoons and sunsets into these sorts of moments, walled up in the studio with Luke, losing track of time until you have no idea where your days begin and his end.

Luke must be feeling the same way, because he leans a little closer to you. “I’m not sure I believe it, but I wouldn’t mind more practice sessions with you. We wouldn’t even have to draw or play guitar if you didn’t want to. If you’re alright with that, of course. We could just, you know, hang out.”

The hope in his eyes is only matched by the delight in yours. “I think that sounds great,” you say.

Luke’s face brightens. “Really? I mean, yeah, it would be fun. Maybe we could go get ice cream soon.”

“Tell me a date, I’ll make time,” you reply. You’ll clear your entire schedule if that’s what it takes. This is something that you didn’t see happening in your wildest dreams, and now that it’s real, you don’t plan on giving it up for anything.

Luke lifts a shoulder. “How about Saturday afternoon? We can go anywhere.”

You could gladly spend the rest of the day just talking over the prospect of this date with Luke, but a sound from outside the studio makes you bite your tongue. You can see Alex, Reggie, and Bobby approaching the door– it must be time for the band to have practice.

Luke groans. “They have terrible timing.”

You laugh. “They didn’t know anything was happening, that’s their fault. I know everything I want, though.”

You don’t think Luke’s smiles have ever been brighter than the one he shoots you now. For once, you realize a most welcome truth:  all this time that you’ve been pining over Luke, he’s been feeling the exact same way. At last, the two of you have been able to get together, and you couldn’t be happier about it.

requested by @thatfangirl42, i hope you enjoy!

jatp tag list: @rogueanschel, @retvenkos, @caswinchester2000, @lovesanimals0000, @amortensie

[spiderdreamer-blog]

Tarzan (1999)

It's hard to define sometimes where the end of the Disney Renaissance period from the late 80s through the 90s is. After the release of The Lion King, the 2D animated features steadily made less money and critical acclaim became more mixed. There was a sea change occurring thanks to more competition from companies like DreamWorks and Warner Bros., as well as the advent of the computer. For me, the dividing line is 1999's Tarzan, mostly because it's after this point that we get to what I and others call the 2000-2004 "experimental" age with films like The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Lilo & Stitch, and Treasure Planet. But Tarzan has much in common with those films, representing a step away from the Broadway musical traditions and into a new, intriguing arena of animation storytelling. It's genuinely one of my favorite Disney films to revisit, and I hope this review helps explain why.

The story takes Edgar Rice Burroughs' initial novel Tarzan of the Apes as a guideline more than an actual adaptation, namely ditching concerns about nobility wealth inheritance and unflattering black African caricatures (the spinoff TV series would deal with the latter in trying to be, uh, less problematic about such). We pick up with Ye Olde Dramatically Convenient Boat Wreckage in a truly commanding opening sequence set to Phil Collins' anthemic Two Worlds. Tarzan's unnamed parents land in Africa and are put in parallel to gorillas Kala (Glenn Close, at the time coming off a very different performance for Disney as live action Cruella De Vil) and Kerchak (Lance Henriksen). Tragedy strikes for both families, and where one loses his parents, another gains a son. But Tarzan (Alex D. Linz as a child, Tony Goldwyn as an adult) grows up knowing he is "different", desperate to prove himself as an ape and belong. He seems to find an equilibrium, becoming best friends with Terk (Rosie O'Donnell) and Tantor (Wayne Knight at his most nebbishy), and even managing to vanquish Sabor, but then strangers arrive. Strangers who look like him, in the form of British scientist Archimedes Porter (Nigel Hawthorne), his daughter Jane (Minnie Driver), and their guide Clayton (BRIAN BLESSED). Now things steadily grow more complicated as Tarzan wishes to learn all he can about these outsiders and himself, but what might it cost?

One of the first, most notable things about the film to me is its complexity in the writing and characterization. Looking back, the Renaissance can have a problem in terms of male leads being love interests who don't get as much focus or slightly bland focus-tested "likable". This isn't true for ALL of them; the Beast has many layers to his personality, while Simba and Quasimodo are great, imo, because they have more baggage tying them down and thus more to rise above for true heroism. Nor does it make most of them bad characters. But it was notable enough, as was the tendency for them to be overshadowed by the villains or sidekicks, for co-directors Kevin Lima/Chris Buck and writers Tab Murphy/Bob Tzudiker/Noni White to slightly...course-correct.

Ergo, Tarzan himself is very much the main focus here. There's only one major sequence that he's not really involved with, and even when he's not onscreen, the other characters are as intrigued by his contradictions as the audience. (Insert your own Poochie jokes here, though obviously it doesn't come CLOSE to that) We truly feel his anxiety about fitting in, and the lengths he goes to are intensely relatable even at their most self-damning.

The other characters, too, feel richer and more lived-in than many of the standard types. Kala is a mother figure, one who tries to make Tarzan feel like he belongs, but is deeply scared of losing him. Kerchak is possibly my favorite character in the film because of how much you have to read into his actions because he holds so much back emotionally until the very end. Even then, he comes off as a more realistic harsh father figure than a caricature, and we can always understand where he's coming from. Jane is one of the best Disney love interests, meanwhile, feeling like a modern romantic comedy heroine with a lot of drive and initiative, as well as being just genuinely nerdy, which you don't often see even today. Clayton manages a nice two-step of seeming like an obvious bad guy but playing things down the middle until he gets what he wants. Even the comic relief gets good moments, such as Professor Porter gently supporting the romance or Tantor standing up for himself at a critical juncture.

Of course, what helps here is that said characters have some of the most beautiful environments and animation backing them up in Disney history. The African jungle is depicting as a kind of painterly, hyper-real fantasy, with impossible tree shapes and vines that bloom in the sunlight. And the then-revolutionary Deep Canvas CGI process allows Tarzan to soar through them, the camera spinning and rotating with each movement. The design sensibility is "classical" Disney to a large degree, but with slightly longer faces or larger eyes to add expressiveness. The California, Parisian, and Florida animation teams all clearly busted their asses to make this come to life. And Glen Keane's work with the Paris studio on Tarzan might be the best of his legendary career in terms of the variety of movements and subtleties in expressions. So too goes the rest of the supervising animators: Ken Duncan makes Jane truly lovable and wholly distinct from the likes of his Meg or Amelia; Randy Haycock gives Clayton a macho swagger that feels entirely his own rather than feeling like a Gaston ripoff; Bruce Smith combines remarkable anatomy work and microexpressions with Kerchak; Russ Edmonds' Kala is warm and motherly while never letting you entirely forget she's a gorilla; Dave Burgess makes Porter funny with his slightly squat, short shapes; and Mike Surrey and Sergio Pablos make for an excellent duo on Terk and Tantor in terms of contrasting their size, as well as the latter giving nervous-nelly body language to such a huge character. That's harder than it looks.

The aural end is just as good. Much hay and memery has been made of Phil Collins going ridiculously hard on the storytelling songs, which I fully support. But it really is true that they add so much here and take the burden off the characters in terms of singing save for the improvisational scat number "Trashin' The Camp". I'm partial to "Strangers Like Me" in terms of the earnest yearning and connections that Tarzan makes over the course of it. And of course the various versions of "Two Worlds" are essentially the mission statement of the film, complete with absolutely bitchin' percussion. Mark Mancina's accompanying score is also excellent, sounding like a fusion between The Lion King (which he produced/arranged for both the film and Broadway show) and his action movie work on projects like Speed or Bad Boys. Particularly great is the cue that plays when Tarzan defeats Sabor and builds up to his classic yell, which milks the heroic triumph for all its worth.

The voice cast is also excellent top to bottom. Goldwyn has a deeper timbre than many Disney male leads, less of an ingenue, and this adds to the stormier emotions; we truly feel his pain on lines like "Why didn't you tell me there were creatures that look like me?" But he's not TOO grim, thankfully, and gets some good subtly funny moments such as sounding out monkey noises in a conversation that Jane only hears one half of. Close is properly maternal, of course, getting her best showings in emotional one-on-ones with both Linz and Goldwyn as they hash out their relationship. Henriksen, like the animation, wisely underplays Kerchak and lets the emotion come out through his gruff, gravel-pit voice rather than obviously signaling things. Driver is hilarious and winning as Jane, getting some of the best laughs and most sweetly tender bits of the proceedings. It's all the more impressive when you consider she played Lady Eboshi in the Princess Mononoke dub the same year, which is the utter opposite of this performance. BRIAN BLESSED doesn't do a lot of his patented BRIAN BLESSED yelling outside of some choice bits at the end, but he makes a meal of Clayton regardless as a charismatic asshole, and I like how he plays a climactic bit of manipulation in particular. Hawthorne gets a much better showing here than his previous Disney voice role as Fflewddur Flam in The Black Cauldron, daffily sweet and humorous in equal measure, while O'Donnell and Knight are familiar vocally but use that to inform their characterizations rather than distract.

I think what I like most about this movie is that it feels incredibly well-rounded. Some Disney movies from this period might have a great villain or sidekicks but a weaker protagonist in Hercules or strong protagonists/villains but a weaker supporting cast as in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. (Then you have Pocahontas, which sucks on ALL ends!) In Tarzan, everything feels of a piece, and nobody jars against the tone or mood. Combine that with the dizzying highs of the animation and truly excellent emotional beats, and you've got a real winner that stands the test of time in my eyes.

[moltengoldveins]

That TCU post…that is truly one of, if not the greatest thing I’ve ever seen come out of this fandom. I tried my own hand a while back at writing “the dsmp but taken seriously”; gave it a name and a playlist but didn’t really write much before I went back to my other projects. If you ever have the motivation to do more with that outline I’d be honored to be a co-writer or help out in any way, or if you want you could just use my title as a name for the series: A Ballad of Broken Dreams.

holy crap op this is so sweet. Thank you so much. I’m… wow ok. That. Wow. Thank you. That’s legitimately so kind and I’m so glad you enjoyed it XD. Id also Love to see your playlist and your thoughts behind the songs if you’re down?! That sounds awesome :D

funnily enough, I’ve had a drafted outline for this heccin thing running around in my head since the Butcher Army arc. Right around when SAD-ist dropped her animatic, I simultaneously realized ‘oh wow, I Adore this concept’ and ‘oh wow, I Highly doubt the CCs are gonna manage to do this the way I’d want to see it’ and lo and behold: I was correct. So painfully correct. (There were also People Involved whom I had Really Bad Feelings About from very early on that, sure enough, turned out to be exactly what i thought they were, rip) So the Emduo prequels, Icarus heccin Dying, and the end of Axe of Peace have been around for Ages.

I’d honestly love to do more with this concept, (i am designing movie posters as we speak) but due to Chronic Illness Pog I’m in a rather unstable financial situation? And don’t have a ton of free time for art. Any big projects are gonna take a While, or id need to find a way to use it or something adjacent to fund, y’know, Rent. That being said, I’m definitely writing the emduo prequels, both as movie scripts and as novels, as those are the films focused on, yknow, My Bois. I also think it’d be hilarious to release the novels and then the scripts and watch people Loose Their Minds over the ‘inaccurate adaptation >>:(‘

I’d absolutely love to work with other people in the fandom on this stuff, though I’ve never been the best at directly co-writing (my writing method and style is painfully specific (ie needlessly poetic) and I’m very autistic: I don’t like it when people touch that Specific Thing) but literally anything else? Im open ears. I love collabs.

and finally, I adore your name for the series, (excellent word choice there /srs, it fits perfectly with the symbolism of the whole story) and I think it works really Really well for the actual DSMP, but if I’m entirely honest… I’m not sure it fits the TCU? Like genuinely I’m so grateful for the suggestion, I love when people offer ideas and bounce things around like that. But one of the main things I tried to do with this concept was work out how the story could actually end Well. A deep-seated belief in the good-but-fallen nature of man, the importance of hope, and the inevitability of redemption kinda comes part and parcel with the whole Being-A-Christian Thing (if it doesn’t, you’re missing the Whole Point Of The Bible) and while the actual DSMP may have ended in broken dreams… this doesn’t. That was my first thought when writing that outline: This Is Going To End Well. Not for wish-fulfillment reasons, not because I’m naive or I don’t like bad endings, but because fundamentally, everything sad is a lie, and if the story has ended in tragedy, it hasn’t ended yet.

If I had to pick a series name now, I’m not sure what I’d pick. A part of me balks at referencing anything popularized by Our Local Redacted, but ‘unfinished symphony’ wasn’t his in the first place, it was from Hamilton. “The Finished Symphony” has a cool ring to it? I dunno. If anyone else has ideas please feel free to toss them in here aight, I’m not settling on anything for a While.

Anyways, thanks for Ted talking with me, drink water 💜

[magnetothemagnificent]

If you're still okay talking about adoption stuff?

I had a hysterectomy to save my life. Every doctor I spoke to asked if I was going to keep my ovaries and reassured me that even if infertility treatment didn't work out "at least I'd be able to adopt".

It wasn't until after my surgery that I found out how horrible both the adoption and the infertility industry can be even if you do everything "right". I've already seen firsthand how awful the foster system is as well, so it really showed me that there's a lack of proper regulation no matter where the children are coming from or being placed. I already firmly believed that children are one of the most oppressed classes in our society, so this was heartbreaking even without considering my own infertility.

I wish more infertile people would take these issues as something they should be fighting for as well, rather than brushing it under the rug and hoping it just magically works out for them which happens often enough that I want to pull my hair out. But I also wish I didn't have to walk through these circles on eggshells because of how disparaging victims of these industries can be towards infertile people that want children that haven't said or done anything besides be infertile in their vicinity.

I don't mean when people talk about how infertile couples aren't owed kids or that birth parents deserve support to either abort or keep their child, even if that means infertile couples can't adopt. Those are very important conversations that need more light. But some people say truly horrible things - sometimes to infertile people's faces, including those advocating for them - such as that they should accept that they don't deserve to have kids because if they did they'd be able to have them naturally/that they're not allowed to mourn their infertility and if they do they don't care about adoptees/that having kids isn't the only way to have close relationships or a family so them being upset must mean they just wanted to take advantage of their kids so it's good they can't have any/that even being upset about it at all or needing a support group means they haven't "done the work".

Obviously, not everyone is like this and I've seen plenty of advocates call the behaviour out and even more welcome us happily, but it still makes trying to get involved nerve-wracking and makes me feel like I have to hide my infertility or risk being the punching bag for someone's trauma which... I would just like to point out is also traumatic. Infertility can be traumatizing too. It's not the same and I'm not trying to say it is, but acting like all infertile people are entitled rather than grieving doesn't help anybody. It's just the age-old issue of two traumatized groups taking their hurt out on each other and I don't see enough people acknowledging that's what's happening, y'know?

Not to mention that even people that do acknowledge that adoption needs to be reformed quickly still often act (usually without knowing the truth) like infertility treatment is an option with fewer ethical concerns when they both really, truly suck in the vast majority of cases. The utter lack of regulations for fertility treatments haunts me.

All important discussions to be had!

The infertility industry is also horrendously predatory, and there actually are a lot of intersections between the infertility industry and the adoption industry such as:

-Adopted children and donor-conceived children not having access to their medical and familial history, often running the risk of accidentally dating a sibling or being a carrier for a condition they have no idea about.

-Vulnerable people being targeted for their reproductive potential: birthing parents being targeted for their children, and people with ovaries being targeted for their eggs.

-Adopted children and donor-conceived children often facing social isolation and stigma from their peers and family.

-Little to no regulation in both industries, leading to mountains of abuse and malpractice.

I've seen incredible examples of solidarity between donor-conceived children and adoptees, and it's something that really needs to continue.

Both industries prey on childless couples by treating children like products, and cause serious harm to the children involved.

I wish I knew a perfect solution.

Until then, in order to reduce as much harm as possible, we need to:

-Get rid of the societal expectation that in order to be considered a family, a couple must have children of their own.

-Normalize non-Nuclear families. You can still have children in your life without being a legal parent- aunts/uncles, cousins, friends, etc. should all be cherished as being integral parts of a child's life. You shouldn't have to be a parent to love a child.

-Stop treating infertile people like they're failed people, and provide counseling and support for those who are infertile, and allow a space for infertile people to voice all their feelings without shame.

-Family reunification should be the top priority when it comes to foster care. While of course this is not always possible, even when the parents are out of the picture, too often, children are whisked away to foster care when their grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or family friend would be more than suitable and even willing to provide care for them.

-In the cases where adoption or donor conception has already occured, full-transparency must be provided for the child. This means access to their medical records and their familial records at any time.

-And lastly, center adoptees and donor-conceived children in the conversation. I am not an adoptee nor a donor-conceived child (although there are people close to me who are), and I only speak for what's already been said much better by actual adoptees and donor-conceived children.

[thelazyhermits]

Y'all know how I've mentioned before that I like playing otome games? Well one of the games I played last month has been on my mind cause I keep thinking of how I could incorporate Yuu and some of the TWST boys into the story of that game.

I have no idea why my brain suddenly started doing this, but I figured I'd go ahead and make a post about it cause why not? 😂

Okay, so first off, the otome game that I'll be talking about is Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo, which I would recommend to anyone who likes otome games. While I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a favorite of mine since I didn't get super attached to any particular LI, I still enjoyed the game and thought it was really cute ^^

Anyway, this game takes place in Japan during the Kyoha era, and it involves these monsters called blightfall that are created thanks to people's negative emotions. They've been wreaking havoc in the town of Edo for a while now.

There's a special task force established by the shogunate called the Oniwaban, which is in charge of fighting these monsters that most people don't know anything about since blightfall mostly appear at night, and this is just something they try to keep the public from having to know about.

The Oniwaban mostly consist of individuals called vessels, which are formfolk that have had their memories and hearts sealed. In exchange, they're given the power called Snow Sacrament which allows them to defeat blightfall when they engage them in battle.

Formfolk are human-like figures that are born when an item receives enough love from its owner and is given a name. The main difference between them and humans is that they can change their appearance at will, and they can be killed if you destroy the items they were born from. They also have wooden name tags, which can also be targeted, so they have two weaknesses.

Moving on, the heroine of the game has the ability to see threads that no one else can see, and by looking at these threads, which are attached to everyone's, except for vessels, necks, she can tell what a person is truly feeling, ergo she can see their emotions. These threads can also tell her when a blightfall is about to appear since they're the product of negative emotions.

That's why the shogunate summons her and has her join the Oniwaban in hopes that she'll be able to help them stop the outbreak of blightfall that has been going on for the last several years.

The reason I started thinking of Yuu in this setting is because in the game the poor heroine is ostracized/exiled by the village she grew up in because she could see things they couldn't and she could tell when someone was gonna die from looking at their threads which led them to believe she was the reason those people died.

The heroine lived in the village with her father, but as soon as he passed away, she was forced to live up on the mountain away from the village. Thankfully, because her father was so well-respected by the village, they send her provisions, so she is still technically provided for, even though that obviously doesn't make her situation any less horrible.

It's just really easy for me to imagine Yuu in that kinda character role, because of the kinda luck she has, so my brain just rolled with the idea lol

I could easily picture poor Yuu being misunderstood for powers only she has, and as a result, she's only close to her father, whom thankfully loves her very much and takes good care of her up until his passing.

Because she wants to be useful to her hardworking father, Yuu learns at a young age how to cook and clean despite him telling her she doesn't have to. Plus, she prefers remaining indoors practicing these skills anyway since indoors she won't have to deal with any judging looks or people whispering about her.

However, Yuu does venture outside whenever she wants fresh air. She just typically heads outside of the village, although she doesn't go too far since she doesn't want to scare/worry her father.

It's during one such outing that an eight-year old Yuu happens to find a young wolf that's injured and has an infected wound. The poor thing was abandoned by its pack and left to die since it was in such bad shape.

Yuu couldn't bear to abandon the animal, which was too weak to do anything but quietly growl at her, so she did what she could to treat its wound with the first aid supplies she likes to always carry around with her.

Despite her young age, she's rather good at first aid, because she has a lot of experience practicing it due all the injuries she'd get when the kids in the village would bully her. She learned how to tend to her own injuries so her father wouldn't have to and she had hoped this would make him less worried about her.

However, after she finishes tending to the wolf, Yuu still thinks her father should personally check on the wolf since she's obviously no doctor and is just a kid, and thankfully, when he hears about the wolf, her father agrees to look it over after she begs and pleads for his help.

Since the villagers wouldn't be pleased about a potentially dangerous wild animal being brought to the village, Yuu's father decides to bring the wolf to the old house up on the mountain that's not being used by anyone.

For the next several days, Yuu and her father tend to the wolf, constantly taking care of its injury and offering it food to help it regain its strength.

Yuu spends almost all of her time with the wolf and only leaves its side whenever her father says its time for her to come home at the end of the day.

Thanks to Yuu and her father's dutiful care, the wolf survives its injury and manages to make a full recovery, much to their great relief.

Once the wolf eventually recovers, they expect it to leave and return to the wild, although Yuu hates the idea of having to part with it, but to their great surprise, the wolf decides to remain in the area.

Naturally, that's partially because it has nowhere else to go but mostly because it wants to remain with the people that nursed it back to health since it feels indebted to them and has become attached to them.

Yuu is delighted about this since this means she now has a friend, and she pays the wolf, which she names Jack after a storybook character she likes, visits all the time since she loves hanging out with him.

For a while, time passes like this until a very surprising turn of events occurs that involves a sad, nine-year old Yuu visiting Jack after having escaped her bullies.

While she's not normally one to cry since she thinks she should be strong in order to avoid worrying her father, Yuu is crying when she comes to visit Jack, who becomes worried about her since he's never seen in her in a state like this before.

Jack wants to know why Yuu's crying, but obviously, he can't ask since he can't speak like a human. He wishes he could, though, since he really wants to help her so she'll smile for him again.

As of late, Jack has been having these kinda thoughts where he wished he was more than just a wolf so he could become even closer to Yuu and better support her since there's only so much he can do with a form like this.

Much to his and Yuu's surprise, this strong desire to talk to Yuu and become closer to her leads to Jack turning into a Beastman, which is something that's not in the game so it's an original idea.

Just like how items can turn into formfolk, I thought it'd be neat if something similar could happen to animals when they receive enough love/feel enough love toward a human that leads to them wanting to communicate with/be closer to a human, and I just decided to use the Beastman term since I'm not creative with names in the slightest lol

One thing that's special about Beastmen is that they can swap forms, so they can look like an animal or a human, although their human forms will always have animal characteristics like ears and a tail.

Since Beastmen are rarer than formfolk, Yuu is very surprised to see one for the first time, but she's also delighted that she can have a conversation with Jack, whose current form appears to be the same age as her.

Jack is also pleased with his sudden transformation since he'll be able to talk to Yuu now and be the kind of friend she needs/deserves. He'll be able to support/protect her even better now.

Because the village forbids formfolk from living there since formfolk eat like humans and this small village has limited supplies, it's immediately assumed that the same would be said about Beastmen, so Yuu only tells her father about what happened to Jack.

Thankfully, Jack can turn back into a wolf whenever he wants, so the chances of the villagers finding out about him are low, especially as long as he remains around the house on the mountain where he's been hanging around up until this point.

From that point on, Yuu is even more excited about visiting Jack, and she spends the majority of her time with him because she loves being with Jack who doesn't treat her like she's something dangerous cause of her powers.

They become really close over the years, like family, and it's because of that bond that Yuu has an easier time getting by after her father eventually passes away when she's thirteen, because she ends up living with Jack, who the villagers thankfully never find out about.

Jack is Yuu's rock during the time she's mourning her father and dealing with being ostracized/exiled by the village. While he was already protective of her, Jack becomes even more so after those events.

More than anything, he'd like to tear into those villagers for their cold-heartedness, but he doesn't since that's not what Yuu would want. Plus, he can't risk the villagers finding out about him and possibly trying to separate him from Yuu.

So, instead, Jack focuses on doing everything else he can think of to look after her, like helping with house repairs and hunting/gathering food in the forest, so there's always enough food for the two of them since the village only sends up enough supplies for one person.

Just like a human, Jack grows older as time passes, so he eventually ends up with an appearance like what he has in TWST canon. He gets all his muscles cause he's constantly training in order to make himself stronger, so he can always protect himself and Yuu, because that's what's most important to him.

For a while, their little world just consists of the two of them, and they're perfectly fine with that since they're just so grateful and happy to have each other. However, eventually, their world becomes a little bit bigger.

Enter the Shroud brothers.

One day, while a fourteen year old Yuu is in the forest gathering edible plants, she happens to hear a lot of yelling, and out of curiosity, she decides to check the situation out but fully intends to remain out of sight since the villagers have to be behind the ruckus and she knows they won't wanna see her.

Much to her surprise, Yuu finds out the commotion is about the village having discovered that Ortho is a formfolk, which is something Idia and his parents have been hiding these last few years.

You see, a few years ago, there was a living human by the name of Ortho Shroud. Sadly, he fell seriously ill and died despite his family's best efforts to save him.

Coincidentally, around this time, one of Ortho's favorite toys, a puzzle box that Idia had made for him, became a formfolk and ended up with an appearance just like Ortho's since formfolk tend to end up looking just like their owners.

Because they knew about the village's law about formfolk being forbidden, the Shroud family decided to hide the truth about Ortho's death and bury him secretly, so that formfolk Ortho could take his place.

The only other person that knew the truth about that incident was actually Yuu, because, back when she still could live in the village, she had seen the original Ortho with black threads around his neck which meant death was in his near future, although she didn't say as much because she didn't wanna be blamed for his death.

Yuu found it highly unlikely that Ortho could survive, considering no one with black threads has ever survived before, but she kept those thoughts to herself since she had no proof that he had been replaced. Plus, she didn't want him to get in trouble with the villagers.

Unfortunately, the secret has finally come out, and the village wants Ortho gone by tomorrow. Naturally, Idia and his parents are against this since Ortho's too young to be off on his own, and Idia can't bear to lose his brother again.

Taking pity on them, Yuu decides to get involved after the villagers all return to the village and the Shroud parents run after them in hopes of getting them to reconsider their demands.

Once Idia and Ortho are the only ones who are left, she calls out to them from her hiding spot, catching them off guard. They quickly recognize her, though, since everyone in the village knows her.

Fortunately, they don't treat her like the other villagers do since they don't see her as a monster. The reason for that is because for the last few years their parents have been researching the clan that Yuu's mother came from.

It's her late mother's blood that led to Yuu having her special power because everyone in that clan could see threads like her, and they were often relied on by the shogunate to fight the blightfall.

While the original reason the Shroud family moved to this village several years ago was to be with Idia/Ortho's grandparents who were unable to provide for themselves due to old age/illness, Mama and Papa Shroud soon had another reason for living there, because a few years after they moved to the village, they received an order from the shogunate to research Yuu's mother's clan's sudden disappearance/demise since no one knows what happened to them and why Yuu is the only one with that clan's blood left.

Mama and Papa Shroud, who were both held in high regard by the shogunate due to their brilliant, inventive minds, were all to eager to accept the order because they've always been quite fascinated by the family Yuu's mother came from, so they were all too happy to delve into this intriguing mystery.

As a result, thanks to their research, the Shroud family knows Yuu's situation, and Mama and Papa Shroud really felt bad for the poor girl and wished the villagers didn't treat her so horribly. Unfortunately, there was no reasoning with the other villagers who outnumbered them.

Plus, they were doing their best to avoid drawing too much attention to their family because the whole situation with Ortho.

Anyway, back to Yuu and the Shroud brothers, after she gets the boys' attention, Yuu offers to let Ortho stay in her home, much to their surprise.

While they'll need to make a big show of Ortho leaving so the villagers will be led to believe he's gone for good, Ortho can secretly come back through the forest and hide out on the mountain with Yuu if he so desires. That way he won't have to be completely separated from his family.

Ortho is delighted by this news since he doesn't want to be apart from his brother and parents. Meanwhile, Idia is surprised and confused by why Yuu would help them when they hardly know each other. Plus, they're part of the village that exiled her, even though their family was actually against Yuu being treated so horribly.

Yuu wants to help because she doesn't think it's right to separate Ortho from his family, and she also has noticed that the Shroud family were the only villagers that never treated her unkindly, so that's enough of a reason for her to wanna help them out.

In the end, the Shroud family takes her up on her offer, but it'll be just a temporary living situation since Mama and Papa Shroud intend to ask the shogunate if they can leave the village and plan on wrapping up their reasearch efforts over the next few weeks/upcoming month.

During this time, Idia, who, ever since the original Ortho died, typically spent all his time indoors with formfolk Ortho up until this point because he was so afraid of losing his brother again, constantly visits his brother at Yuu's house, and as a result, ends up spending a lot of time with Yuu and Jack as well.

Thankfully, Jack didn't mind this temporary living arrangement since Ortho's a sweetheart who's willing to help out around the house, and cause the Shroud family never mistreated Yuu.

Thanks to this, the Shroud brothers become a part of Yuu and Jack's little family, and they all become quite close friends.

Because he feels she has the right to know, Idia explains to Yuu about her powers and her mother's side of the family since it pisses him off that she's treated like a monster and that because of the villagers Yuu sees herself in a negative light just cause she's not like everyone else.

Idia also mentions that his parents had talked to Yuu's father about the missing clan as part of their research, but all he knew was that they were dead. He has no idea what happened to them. He was just told by the god of the local shrine that they're all gone now, which was also the story the heroine's father was given in the game.

Yuu is naturally very sad to hear that she's the last of her clan, but she's glad that she's not the only one to ever have had these powers.

She's also puzzled about what happened to her mother and her clan since she doesn't have any memories of her mother. For some reason, she can't remember anything from those years when she had lived with both of her parents, which is also the story for the game's heroine.

The Shroud family knows this because Yuu's father had said as much. Yuu had actually been with her mother when the clan suddenly disappeared, so they think something traumatic must have happened that resulted in Yuu losing her memories.

Thankfully, while he couldn't find his wife or her clan, Yuu's father was able to find Yuu after the incident occurred, and he avoided talking to Yuu about it out of worry that she'd remember painful memories best left forgotten.

That's why Mama and Papa Shroud never tried to question Yuu since, despite their curiosity, they didn't want to endanger her mental wellbeing.

This is why Idia tells Yuu not to think too hard about those memories and says that she's better off focusing on the present than dwelling on the past since finding out what happened to her mother and her clan won't make her current situation any better.

Jack backs Idia up cause he doesn't want Yuu to remember anything that will hurt her, and he also agrees that focusing on what happened in the past won't do her any good.

Even though she really would like to remember her mother, Yuu does think they make a good point, so when she fails to recall anything from what happened all those years ago, she decides to drop the matter, especially after Ortho says his parents are working hard to figure out what happened so she can leave things to them.

Sadly, in the end, Mama and Papa Shroud are unable to figure out what happened to Yuu's mother and her clan, although they do think the snow that's always falling on the mountain where Yuu lives is somehow connected to the clan because it's not natural for there to be snow there all year round, making them wonder if the shrine god that Yuu's father mentioned is possibly behind the constant snow and if the snow has a purpose of some kind.

Even though they're not successful with their research efforts, Mama and Papa Shroud still get permission from the shogunate to leave the village since there's really not much else the researchers can do at this point.

So, once that's decided, the Shroud family leaves and heads for Edo since Mama and Papa Shroud's services were requested by the shogunate which is stationed there.

Yuu is naturally very sad to see Idia and Ortho go since she had been so happy to have more friends, but she's happy that they'll be able to live together as a family with their parents again.

Idia and Ortho wish they could just take Yuu with them since she deserves better than being isolated on a mountain, but Yuu and Jack are a package deal and it'd be rough for Mama and Papa Shroud to take care of two extra mouths.

Plus, with all the blightfalls showing up as of late, Yuu is safer on the mountain, so it's decided that she's better off remaining there.

It's still hard for Idia and Ortho to leave since they got really attached to Yuu, and Idia, who's older than her, feels like he should take care of her like Ortho.

That's why Idia says that he'll come back for Yuu and Jack once his family has settled down in Edo and he thinks that the two can safely and comfortably live in Edo.

Little did Idia know that five years later he'd be coming back for Yuu on the shogunate's orders because her powers are needed to deal with the blightfall.

The reason Idia was sent was because, with his genius mind, he ended up becoming a great resource to the shogunate, especially since, during his time at Edo, it was discovered he had great potential to be a soothsayer, which is someone who can use magic by using their knowledge of onmyodo.

The Shroud family is well-known for having powerful magic users, and Idia ends up being a prodigy, the best the family has seen in many generations.

While he orignally had no interest in using magic and doing this kinda work, Idia started practicing and studying after he moved to Edo so he'd be able to protect his family from blightfall and he had hoped he could solve the blightfall crisis before the shogunate felt the need to seek out Yuu's help.

Unfortunately, Idia wasn't able to accomplish that goal so he's left with the frustrating task of having to recruit Yuu, even though the last thing he wants is for her to have to be anywhere near those dangerous monsters, even if it means he can finally get her far away from that damn village.

However, he can't refuse an order from the shogun, so Idia has no other choice but to go get Yuu, but he's determined to keep her out of harm's way and won't let anyone take advanatage of her like what had often seemed to happen to the members of her dead clan.

Because Yuu is family, and nobody takes advantage of Idia's family while he's around.

Now that I've covered the Shroud brothers, there's one last member of Yuu's makeshift family I wanna talk about here, and he gets brought into the picture after the Shroud family leaves for Edo.

About four years after the Shroud family leaves, a formfolk is born in Yuu/Jack's household, and it's from one of Yuu's old toys. It was a small wooden crocodile that Yuu's father made along with several other wooden animals.

Because the crocodile was her father's favorite animal, Yuu always especially treasured that one after he died, so she'd take extra good care of it and make sure it was always clean as it remained in a shelf that she could always look at.

Because Yuu had a lot of love for that crocodile, a formfolk is eventually born from it, much to her great surprise.

Naturally, Yuu is also very excited since this means she'll have a new family member/friend, and she quickly gives him the name Sebek, which she came up thanks to a book she once read thanks to the Shroud family sharing their huge book collection with her that mentioned the Egyptian deity, Sobek, who is associated with crocodiles.

Jack is a little exasperated by this turn of events because Sebek has such a huge appetite, but he doesn't mind having another face around since he gets along well enough with Sebek. Plus, it makes Yuu happy to have another family member/friend, and he's glad there's someone else to help him look after Yuu.

Sebek here is a lot like his TWST game counterpart, except he doesn't have any negative feelings toward humans, although he does hate the villagers for making Yuu suffer, like Jack.

In this setting, Sebek treats Yuu like his master and is very loyal/decidated to her and quite protective of her.

While Yuu greatly appreciates how dedicated Sebek is to her, she doesn't want him to treat her like she's his master since she sees them both as equals.

Thankfully, after enough time passes, Yuu is able to get Sebek to be more relaxed and less formal around her, and he begins treating her more like Jack, although he still remains overprotective of her.

From the start, Sebek thought highly of Yuu because of all the love she showed him when he was just a wooden crocodile, and he found it impressive that she could remain so kindhearted despite everything she went through thanks to the villagers.

However, after spending time with her as a formfolk, Sebek's attachment toward her grew even stronger because she treated him as an equal and always showered him with so much genuine love and care.

As a result, Sebek becomes quite close to Yuu, like Jack, and ends up seamlessly incorporating himself into Yuu & Jack's little family since the three of them get along so well.

Of course, there are still times when Jack and Sebek butt heads since their personalities are similar, but they never have serious fights and can usually resolve things within a reasonable amount of time.

Unfortunately, while Sebek's presence in their lives is wholeheartedly welcomed, he does make their living situation more difficult because of his large appetite, even with Jack's hunting skills.

Which leads to Sebek eventually deciding that he needs to find a job so he can make money to buy the food he needs since he refuses to impose upon Yuu/Jack despite Yuu insisting that he doesn't have to do that.

Sebek is determined to find work, however, since he feels he should be responsible for himself, and he's also hoping that he can make enough money that he can use it to further improve Yuu/Jack's lives that way they don't have to always scour the forest for food.

That's why Sebek goes on a journey to find work since he doesn't want anything to do with the nearby village. He's hoping he can find a town that's not too far from home, so he can make regular trips back to see Yuu/Jack.

Sadly, Sebek's journey ends in tragedy since he ends up turning back into a wooden crocodile after having saved the shogun, whom he didn't realize was the shogun at the time, from a blightfall by shoving him to safety.

The shogun, who had been traveling incognito at the time, had shared his food with a hungry Sebek who had collapsed by the road prior to that incident, which is what led to Sebek risking his life to save him.

After the Oniwaban, who eventually arrived on the scene, later defeated the blightfall, the shogun collected Sebek's item and decided that he'd make him into a vessel since he didn't know who and where Sebek's owner was, only Sebek's name, since this is the only way to give Sebek's life back to him without his owner.

Plus, by having Sebek join the Oniwaban, Sebek will have a stable job and a roof over his head, which the shogun felt he deserved after sacrificing himself for his sake. This is why Sebek becomes so loyal to the shogun and treats him as his master since the shogun always treats him so kindly.

Unfortunately, this means that when Sebek is reborn his memories and heart are sealed, so he no longer remembers Yuu and Jack, which the two are naturally sad about when they finally reunite with him.

This reunion happens when Idia is sent to retrieve Yuu because Sebek is tasked with accompanying him.

Yuu is elated when she sees Idia and Sebek since she had missed them dearly, and she had been worried sick about Sebek whom she hasn't seen/heard from in months.

(Yuu had wanted to go looking for Sebek, but Jack convinced her to wait since it was possible that Sebek had to travel a great distance to find work or that Sebek didn't want to contact them until he had good news about work since he's so prideful and wouldn't ever want to admit he couldn't do what he set out to do.)

She's both confused and heartbroken when Sebek asks if he knows her while Jack is angry since he can't believe Sebek could just forget them like that.

Upon realizing Yuu is Sebek's owner, Idia quickly pulls her and Jack aside and explains Sebek's situation and how vessels have their memories/hearts sealed.

He also tells them that if a vessel's heart/memories were to ever become unsealed the vessel would soon cease to exist, so if they don't want to lose Sebek, they need to accept his memory loss and not force him to remember.

Yuu is devastated by this news, but she, along with Jack, agrees to keep Sebek's past a secret from him since she can't bear the thought of losing him again.

Fortunately, despite his memories being sealed, Sebek seems to unconsciously recognize who Yuu is since he feels drawn to her, and he's kinder to her than he has ever been to any other human aside from the shogun he so loyally serves.

Sebek is also quick to protect Yuu when a blightfall appears in her village after the villagers get all worked up over Idia and Sebek bringing Yuu down to the village from the mountain, like what happened in the game.

Initially, Sebek fights the blightfall on his own since Idia's magic can't outright defeat blightfall, only someone with Snow Sacrament can do that, but Jack ends up joining the fight despite Yuu/Idia telling him not to.

Much to everyone's surprise, after working with Sebek to fight the monster, Jack manages to unconsciously use Snow Sacrament on the blightfall, which, according to Idia, shouldn't be possible.

Idia has never seen anything like this, so he has no idea how Jack can perform a feat like that, and of course, neither does Jack who was just acting on instinct and his strong desire to protect his friends.

The only possible explanation Idia can think of is Jack's prolonged exposure to Yuu and the fact that he became a Beastman because of Yuu led to him obtaining a special power the likes of which her clan posseses, although it sounds way too surreal to him.

While the shogunate's orders were to recruit just Yuu to the Oniwaban, Idia knows they'll be interested in Jack as well, so he decides to introduce them both to the shogun. That way Jack can remain close to Yuu to keep her safe and Jack can use his power to help them deal with the blightfall.

Initially, there are some reservations about joining the Oniwaban on Yuu/Jack's end, but because they trust Idia and want to be with Sebek, they agree to go to Edo with them after Yuu asks the villagers to take care of her father's grave in her absence.

And that's all I've got right now. I'll write more later if I can think of anything else for this AU lol

[bafflement]

Deaged Oz AU - Collecting [Very] Long Lost Property

Oz bit his lip slightly, as he pored over the maps Qrow had found of Mistral. The sooner they got the lamp to Atlas and the relative safety the floating kingdom could provide, the better it would be for everybody involved. The sooner they were out of Haven, the sooner damage control could be started... all those hunters that Leon's cowardice had killed, though. How were they ever going to replace them. Could they even replace them? Mistral needed protection, but with so many dead... he just hoped whoever Leon's replacement would be would be up to that task. He didn't envy them in the least... maybe they could draft in outside help? That would leave things spread worryingly thin, though. Ah well, it was out of his hands.

The worry must have shown on his face, though, because Qrow shifted position beside him, one hand coming to rest on his shoulder. They shared a conflicted look, Qrow was from Mistral, he knew as well as Oz did that the outlook might not be very bright for quite awhile. At least with the relic gone, Salem was less likely to target Mistral with an overabundance of Grimm? It was far from impossible, but none of them had any choice now. The lamp was too important, they couldn't stay to try to protect those left behind. So why did it feel so much like cowardice?

Shaking his head slightly, he went back to the map, plotting out the easiest route. There was the nagging feeling that he was forgetting something very important, though. Some of the marks on the map felt familiar in the same way most memories previous Oz's left him did, though he still didn't really remember anywhere near all of them. Without truly thinking about it, he mapped out a strangely winding path for them to follow. While it followed a lot of the natural contours, it wasn't the easiest it could have been. But it felt right.

"You sure, Pocketsized?" Qrow asked, sounding vaguely doubtful, though Oz was very aware that he was likely to follow it anyway. Qrow could be predictable like that and at least two of the arguably straighter routes would have lead them over some steep terrain that, frankly, he was uncertain he could easily traverse at the age he currently was. Much less his physical state, he had no memory of his limp having been quite this bad the first time around but it was more than possible he'd just forgotten. Or suppressed it, maybe, ether one was possible. How he wished they had access to an airship, it would make this so very much easier.

"I am. Several routes would be rather harder for me as things currently stand. While I am not actually the child I resemble, I can't help but worry that there are still a great many things my body is not fully capable of. Besides, I believe there may be something I should pick up along the way. I just do not currently remember what that is."

Qrow winced, but nodded anyway. It made a lot of sense, put that way. Oz wasn't actually a kid, of course, but that didn't stop him from having all of their physical limitations at the moment. More than, considering the health concerns that had seemed strangely far less serious in the adult than they did right now. He didn't mean to worry for him, but then they all did. He'd heard the kids enough, they all knew that Oz as he was needed their protection just as much if not more than they needed his expertise. Not that that was always easy to get him to accept, but then it was never really going to be. Oz was still far too independent for that.

It didn't take long for them to grab their belongings from the house they were staying in. All of them had packed relatively light, after all. The basic necessities had been restocked while they were in Mistral and they had plenty of food scattered around their various packs, but the rooms they had been staying in felt dismally empty once their stuff was all packed. The packs weren't even that large, yet in many ways they held their entire current lives. More than one of the kids looked rather depressed, noticing that. In the storm of packing, Oz carefully did not pack the hair dye. After all, they were always going to forget something, weren't they?

Tip blinked around at the tall trees surrounding them. None of them were familiar, but then if the half remembered impulse was right they might well not be. Whatever it was his subconscious was telling him to find was still a mystery, though he was dismally certain that he'd know the place when he found it. Did this particular part of the forest really need to go out of its way to make him feel even smaller though? Glancing across at Weiss, he saw that he wasn't the only one of their party who looked slightly intimidated by the sheer size of some of these. Not, of course, that Miss Schnee would ever admit to any such thing. He suppressed a grin at that, even though things had changed in the months they'd been in Mistral, he rather doubted anything would ever change enough for that.

"These trees are huge!" Ruby murmured, though she sounded more fascinated than intimidated. At that, Oz could no longer suppress the grin. Trust Miss Rose to lighten any mood, that was sorely needed right now. Why was he so morose? What was it that he was going to find, all the way out here? He didn't remember ever owning anything in this part of Mistral, but then with the state of the merge as it stood, would he? Had it even been Mistral at that point? The kingdoms hadn't exactly lasted forever, after all. There was plenty of time before that which this feeling could originate from.

Then again, the idea that anything could have survived from that far back was a very different matter. There were few things he'd ever really thought were important enough to protect in the ways that he would have needed to, back then. Unbidden, his mind flew to a specific fairy-tale, his eyes widening. Well, if it was that then... that might explain a few things. He could have sworn nothing had been left, but then... again, he just didn't know. He briefly cursed Cinder Fall, thankfully keeping enough control to use a language that the children would fail to recognise. The last thing he needed to do was teach them more swear words.

There was a delighted snort from behind him and he spun on his heel, staring at Yang, who was mouthing the word gleefully. Oh dear. At least it was Yang, since he was absolutely certain Qrow had already taught her and Ruby both enough words over the years, Maybe even some of them on purpose. Yang winked at him.

"Thanks for the new word, Professor! Tell me what it means?"

"Nice try, Miss Xiao Long." Oz replied, a laugh in his voice. Yang's face fell slightly, but her eyes gleamed. She was very aware from Oz's reaction that whatever it was was less than polite. Perfect, another one to add to her ever growing list. The syllables felt strange on her tongue, but she shrugged that off. So did some of Qrows... huh. Had Ozpin taught him those? She really would need to ask him, at some point...

Blake snorted, too, but at least she didn't seem to be mouthing the swear word to herself. Under the circumstances, Oz was very happy to take that as a victory. After all, his students were all teenagers, some things he feared were likely to be unavoidable. He frowned as his foot slipped, concentrating on his footing once more. It would be a very bad idea to fall right now, this far away from help. The others would, he was sure, but he didn't dare burden them any more than they already were by his presence. He hated being this vulnerable, but there wasn't really much he could do about that right now.

They turned a corner and Oz stilled, staring at a rocky outcrop that was instantly, primally familiar to him. The garden was long gone, of course, but the house was still there. The others, following his gaze, came to a halt too. There were various surprised noises, but Qrow turned to Oz, looking almost amused.

"I assume that was what ya were looking for, pocket sized?" Qrow gestured towards the building. It looked pristine and untouched, strangely out of place in its surroundings. Part of Oz marvelled that nobody had found it before, even as a brief flash of memory overtook him. No, no, he'd hidden this house, long ago. He could see it, those with him could see it. But nobody else could, he remembered now. Salem would have found it amusing to tear it down and it was too important, too special for that. It really was the house he thought it was... which meant he might have to explain a few things, not that anyone would believe the others if they talked. Besides, they all already knew the maidens existed, what was one more confirmation?

"It is indeed. May I present to you the Wizard's cottage?" Oz's voice was light, but the meaning behind the words wasn't lost on any of those around him. From the wide eyed stares, they appeared rather awed, but then you didn't often get proof of your fairy-tales, even in Remnant. This house was certainly proof of something. He inclined his head, gesturing towards it with a soft smile.

"Would any of you care to take a look around?"

"Yes!" was the chorus, even Qrow joining in, a strange awe in his eyes too. Oz was briefly touched by that, he was very aware that The Story Of The Seasons was far from Qrow's favorite as of late. But then, considering Raven... and Cinder... it wasn't really Oz's, either. Ah well, each to their own.

The cottage, whose door opened at Oz's touch looked exactly as it had the day he left. There wasn't a mote of dust on any of the surfaces, the ancient wooden counters and floorboards just as solid as he recalled them being. There wasn't a lot to see, really, but that didn't seem to stop how awed the others were. Leading them into the sitting room, he was surprised to see a fire spring up in the grate as he entered. Well, at least they'd all be warm tonight? He didn't remember setting that up either, but though his magic purred contentedly under his skin, it hadn't seemed to interact with anything else. A proximity alert, maybe? He longed to experiment as to whether it would trigger for any of the others, but they probably didn't really have the time. The chairs looked nice and soft though, so he nodded to them. The others all took seats, almost vibrating. Huh, this place really had affected them, hadn't it?

Of course, there was a part of Oz that was awed, too. After all, this was the house from the story. Though he was very aware it was a real one, he never thought he'd actually lay eyes on this place at any point outside of his own memories. Now, if only he could remember just why he was meant to come here? Showing his friends was amazing, of course, but he rather doubted that was the full point of their visit. Ozymandias chuckled in the back of his head, but didn't seem inclined to offer any help. Ah, so he was on his own to figure this out.

"Professor? Is this really the Wizard's house? From The Story Of The Seasons?" Nora sounded breathless, though the fact that she'd called him Professor again as opposed to the usual things she used to tease him underlined the seriousness of the question.

"Well, yes. Yes, it is. It appears to be exactly as I remember it, though I do urge you all to be careful, as despite appearances, this place is well over ten thousand years old."

"Ten thousand?" Oscar breathed, looking a strange mix of awed and horrified, one hand reaching towards where Oz stood as though he wanted to grasp him and never let go. "Oh, Tip, you left it this long? You never went back? This is your house!"

"Yeah, pocketsized." Qrow agreed, looking shaken. "I can tell how much this place matters to ya, but... how could it be that old? Houses decay, ya know that. Or is it magic again?"

"Well, yes... although, I rather fear I did not wish to lead Salem here. This house is special, she would have destroyed it out of sheer malice. After all, fairy-tales contain hope." Oz's smile was fragile now, gazing around the room with hazy, far away eyes. The kitchen, the hall, the sitting room, the bathroom... the bedroom. Had there really only been five rooms to this place? For all it was small, Oscar and Qrow were right. It really did feel like coming home.

The bedroom. There was something there that he'd left, meant to come back for and never had. He darted from the room, moving unerringly to what had once been the Wizard's sanctuary. One small bed surrounded by a great many shelves. All the books he'd stored here were gone, of course, he'd taken most of them with him... but had he taken everything? The vague feeling in his brain was a blaring siren now. There was something, somewhere in this room. He heard footsteps and looked up, meeting Qrow's eyes. Of course Qrow had followed him, he could really expect nothing less. As protective as Qrow was... but surely he realised there wasn't anything in this house that would ever harm him?

"Hey, Pocket sized, ya looking for something?"

"I believe so, yes. Two sets of eyes would be better than one, though I cannot be certain just what I... they... hid here. I just know that it's very important that I recover it. It's been lying here for too long." Oz smiled. "Up to a treasure hunt with me, Qrow?"

Qrow grinned back, eyes alight. "I'd be happy ta help, Oz. I still can't quite believe this house exists. I mean, I know the stories are real, but..."

"How are the children, by the way?" Oz asked curiously, both of them starting to search the small space. Qrow chuckled fondly.

"They're okay. Talking up a storm in the other room, surprised you can't hear them. Although..." Qrow cocked his head, frowning slightly as he realised that he couldn't hear them from here, either. Eh, they'd be okay for a few minutes, he could probably just chalk it up to yet more of the oddness of this house. Oz's house... at least he might have somewhere to go when this was all over that wasn't that damn clock tower?

Oz ducked under the bed, fingers running over the floorboards, searching for a gap. Like the door and the fire, it seemed to open at his touch, though it was very cramped under the bed. He wriggled back out, grinning widely.

"I Think I found it, but I'll need help moving the bed to get to the hidden compartment." Qrow made a face, for some reason moving or disturbing anything felt almost like desecration. But this was Oz's house, if anyone had the right to alter things, it was him.

As the bed shifted, the hole was revealed. It wasn't very large, but it was more than sufficient for the pair of carefully wrapped packages within it. Oz's eyes were wide and his hands shook as he carefully removed them from their long term resting place. What had he left behind? He knew there were things he'd misplaced over the millennia, after all. Qrow replaced the bed and Tip lay the bundles on it, shaking from sheer nerves now. One of them was book shaped, but as for the other? Could this have been its final hiding place? He remembered in flashes, Salem finding the decoy of what he was starting to be very sure this had to be. He remembered that death, too. He shuddered, choosing to unwrap the larger bundle first.

They both stared down at a slim book of fairy-tales, bound in a shimmering green leather that could not possibly be natural. He remembered this book, too. Remembered stealing it from Salem, running with it, hiding it. It had been the book he used to read to his daughters, millennia ago. He sobbed, sounding broken, as Qrow gathered him into a hug. Qrow didn't know, of course, but as always he knew what to do to comfort Oz in his grief.

If that was the book, though, then the other item had to be what he thought it was. Still, he needed to be sure. Squirming out of Qrow's arms, he unwrapped the other item, staring down at Ozma's emerald. The real one, not the various fakes he'd carried over the millennia. Ozymandias gasped in his head, sending a wave of comfort that Oz sincerely appreciated. It was strange, but he thought he'd miss Ozzy even more, this time, when he left again. Was it selfish, to hope the meld took awhile longer?

Qrow was staring again. That was fair, though, the emerald was rather larger than his hand. Qrow's hand, that was, not Oz's. It was perfectly flawless, too... and Oz had no idea how much it would fetch were anyone to steal it from him. If it could be stolen, which he wasn't entirely certain about, he seemed to remember it coming back. Either way, wandering through Mistral with something worth that much would certainly be an experience, He wasn't likely to leave either item behind, though.

He rewrapped them carefully, unpacking his pack in order to cushion both items as best as he could with his limited amount of spare clothing. He looked up at Qrow, who still looked a bit shellshocked and grinned shakily.

"You were a bandit, Qrow, surely you've seen precious gems before?"

"Yeah, no, Oz. Not like that. That's not like anything I've seen before, magic?"

"Well, yes and no. It's the gem from Ozma's staff, Qrow. I don't know why I'll need it, but I think that's why I was drawn here."

Qrow stared for a solid minute before he could get his voice to work well enough to ask the other question on his mind. "And the book? I saw how it affected you, Pocketsized..."

"I... I don't want to talk about it, Qrow. Maybe one day, but not right now. We need to go and check on the others." Hauling his pack back onto his shoulders, Oz left the room. Qrow could only shake his head, hoping that Oz really would tell him, one day.

[romantic-reveries]

Today was fucking insane.

I’m not quite a month into work yet (two days out), and a manager was there training me in sales Saturday and today.

Then today, my boss just decided to throw me in the deep end. The manager, Rick, had set me up to key in a fake sale (which we also did Saturday), to help me get more comfortable and familiar. I literally didn’t even have time to start it when he strolls over and says, “okay, you’re up,” and gestures to some customers who just came in.

Fear floods me and I gape. “You’re joking,” because he has joked with me like that. “Nope,” He tells me. He says my boss thinks I’m ready. Boss says “what better way to learn than by just doing it?”

And so I greet a middle-aged man, woman and younger girl. They’re immediately lovely. The interpersonal stuff isn’t so much an issue. They seem to know exactly what they want.

And I’m so flustered and frantic that I keep messing up on pricing, and forgetting things. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve retained some things, sure, but for the most part, I feel like I’m flying blind. There’s so much to remember. So many details.

You have to talk to them and find out what they’re looking for, okay, easy enough. Then price it. And you gotta go into different price books or programs for prices and use pricing metrics to find the retail price and then discount it based on the price which I STILL don’t know how to do, and then close the sale while also trying to add onto it, then key in the sale and figure out whether the items are in stock or if you have to back order and also talk about warranty (which I don’t know much about, price wise) and calculate delivery price which (AGAIN) I still don’t know how to do, and print the invoice and remember info about the customer and remember to follow up with them and send a thank you card and just AHHHHHHH FUCK.

And like, I think I could be good at this, truly. But it’s also SO fucking overwhelming and I feel so ill-equipped. Like selling a bedroom suit today—I don’t know how to tell the difference between sizes in our SKU numbers. Rick was supposed to go over it with me but we didn’t have time. And then he isn’t coming back for more training with me, which is wild. They’ve trained me for two days and said “good luck”? And my coworkers will still be there to help, but that’s not the point.

I made the sale, and the people were really lovely. The fianceé and her daughter had left while the man was negotiating (haggling) and they literally came back in when it was all said and done to hug me. They were so incredibly sweet.

And Rick and my boss and my coworker were all praising me and saying how I just had it, and I’m natural at it, and I guess to an extent—I like people. I’m naturally friendly and warm and curious. I care. I’m not a bullshitter. But the technical bits are so new still, and throwing me in it like that was so nervewracking hahaha

But also, I did make a sale. Even if Rick helped me through a lot of it. And I make commission on that. And my base pay will also probably bump up now. I can do this. I think I can really excel at this. I just can’t let myself get too stressed and psyched.

But I hate it, because I’m already dreading going back to work. I don’t want to do that again. Hahaha I hate that it’s a learning curve. I wish I could transport to six or eight months from now and already be mostly confident and comfortable at this.

I don’t know how they were all saying I was doing so well. I felt like a train wreck. Sure, maybe I was talking to people well. Talking to people is easy, mostly. It’s not hard to be nice and friendly and helpful. It’s all the other stuff I’m struggling with, and selling involves more than just being nice and friendly and helpful. I’m not sure what they’re seeing that I’m not.

Maybe I’m just exhausted. It was a long day.

[hxdrostorms]

@legendreign has sent: 1. OTP(s) for your muse? ( For muses, all three Gold Saints! ) 2. NOTP(s) for your muse? 4. Are you oc shipping friendly? 12.Do you believe rp’ing a ship adds to character development?

Mun Related Shipping Questions! [Accepting]

1. OTP(s) for your muse?

// Funnily enough, I only have one answer for this one, bc I haven't figured that out for 2/3 boys I have here.

I've seen some really lovely fanart of Shaka/Mu, and I think I might enjoy it in a fanart/fanfiction way. Because I don't think I'll be RPing it, with the way I've set up Shaka (this isn't something I want to do with Shaka RN. That's why I've set him up as a singleship muse, nothing is ever set in stone so who knows if I'll ever change that about him.).

Aldebaran is practically a blank slate: sticks leggy out, who's going to give me a ship for him? I'm literally all ears, when it comes to ships for him.

And then we have Deathmask, and I've dug myself into the Aphrodite/DM ship hole, and I'm not leaving. NGL, I'm looking forward to write this ship. Fingers crossed for me to find an Aphrodite RPer, who'd be down to write it with me.

2. NOTP(s) for your muse?

// I've got nothing TBH? I also haven't touched with a 10 ft post any form of discourse in this fandom. Spoiler alert: I don't want to see or engage with it. So, I have no clue what would be considered a "bad" ship for my muses, that would get me crucified.

I'd imagine that anything involving the golden saints with the bronze ones, due to the ages. And I think it's a good time as ever to say that: in order for me to do anything like that in a RPing format, the characters will have to be aged up first (likely in the context of a post-series events type of situation/plot). Everything must be discussed and agreed upon, between me and the other mun. No ifs and buts, I won't do anything romantic between them, during the series' events for my own comfort.

I don't want to start any form of a shitshow of a discourse. Because, I'm way too tired of this nonsensical discussion, that never ends.

4. Are you oc shipping friendly?

// OFC I am! I'm just a bit more selective for OC/CC ships. But honestly? If the chemistry is there, and we have a solid plot going for them? They can offer me an experience that even surpasses CC/CC ships! I've had some truly awesome OC/CC ships in the past, which I still cherish to this day.

12. Do you believe rp’ing a ship adds to character development?

// Okay SO as sb who personally takes huge enjoyment out of character development, AND has had a long history of dealing with some snobbish Rpers in the past, I'll go straight to the point:

It all depends on what your end goal with it is.

Do you want to only focus in the fluff/smut/etc aspects of it? That's awesome! All the power to you.

Do you want to take this as an opportunity to expand on things through a relationship? That's equally awesome as well! All the power to you.

I'm just genuinely sick and tired of Tumblr RPC's competitive nonsense, where they think that they have to pitch one against another and try to shame RPers who have a different approach/interest to RP. No Karen, we aren't doing a full on essay through rp on tumblr dot com. You're not handing your shit ship to be analyzed, in a professional way.

All ships have the potential to serve as food for character development, but that has to come from the muns' wishes to do that to begin with. Otherwise, you're just forcing an elitist and snobbish way to RP, that's just unhealthy and nobody wins in the end. I personally take a lot of enjoyment of grabbing my main ship partners, and truly get DEEP into things on our discussions and worldbuilding.

And at the same time, I've had some good times with folks, who only wanted to do a simpler/easier to digest stuff and not think too much about the HCs/implications/etc. Does that suddenly make me into a lesser RPer? I highly doubt it.

[thatforgottenbasilisk]

Hi I just finished reading you Afhiko peddling for the second time I just wanna say your writing style has me laying at your feet beautiful I tell you so I wanted to ask if we could get like a found family AU with Afhiko I’m thinking the children as izuku & Tomura also something fantasy Idk I’ll leave the story telling to you if you decide to take up this silly little idea :D

hi anon :) thanku for the ask and the compliments!! <33

so since youre my first writing request anon in a LONG time i will do the found family with tomura and izuku but this will be my only afohiko with either of them </3 im too much of a dad for one truther to involve izuku too much in afohiko and tomura is a whole can of worms with sorahiko so this is IT

that said im not doing fantasy, i dont write fantasy in general, sorry!!

and also i really hope u dont mind but this sparked a big brain idea to check off a bthb prompt so im gonna just. do that

@badthingshappenbingo

now with all of that out of the way:

no children (i WISH) (ao3 link)

bthb info: captive push (for my hero academia)

words: 1431

rating: T

Sorahiko doesn't think of himself as much of a parental figure. He's not responsible enough for that shit, the idea of some kid learning from him and taking up his bad habits- no, no way, he refuses to be responsible for it.

He should've figured Hisashi wouldn't agree- and he also should've figured that he wouldn't ask before finding a kid and raising it as he sees fit.

Shimura Tenko is the grandson of one of Hisashi's old enemies, the Seventh holder of One for All, and hearing how long ago his husband killed her makes Sorahiko feel much older than his body reflects. At some point, Hisashi must've snuck an immortality, or at least anti-aging, quirk into him, but he's always vehemently denied it and then followed it up with "and if I did, I wouldn't take it back!"

So he's stuck looking thirty-something like his husband, which at least made it less weird to be walking around with Tenko sitting on his shoulders when he'd been the right age for it.

Besides, if Hisashi is to be believed about the effects age would've had on his body, given his quirk, he would be stuck at Tenko's height around now, so he guesses it's not all bad- he's got to look at the bright side of things, or else he would be forcing his new kid to suffer through his new parents' divorce, no matter how many times they've done it before it'll still suck for the kid.

He's glad that he'd had the restraint not to divorce Hisashi on the spot once he'd found out about Tenko; he'd been disappearing into one of his "secret" (only a secret to people who don't handle all the paperwork, Hisashi) villain bases, a bar all the way out in Kamino. Obviously, he wasn't cheating, because the man is far too possessive of the people he considers "his" to even think about something like that, but he was still up to something that he knew damn well Sorahiko wouldn't approve of.

So he went to the bar, and found a Noumu and a kid who was given an awfully depressing name- Shigaraki Tomura.

The ensuing argument was on the uglier side of their usual fights, so for any other couple it would be of truly permanent-divorce-level of proportions. Hisashi said something about the kid being his successor in the future in his attempt to get that quirk, to which Sorahiko had simply responded,

"That is a child."

"He's got the seeds of destruction in him already! Look at his quirk- "

"He is six years old."

Hisashi had been forced to relent at that, and then he made the mistake of revealing the kid's full name and heritage, in what must have been an attempt to get to divorce number 17, and Sorahiko had practically blown another gasket.

"You're trying to tell me he just so happened to develop a highly destructive quirk that's unprecedented in his family history?"

"More quirks are unprecedented than you'd think- "

"And you just so happened across him before anyone called the cops or anything at the sight of a child covered in blood?"

"I will admit that I was monitoring the Shimura household due to their connection to the Seventh- "

"Oh, sure, monitoring, is that what we're calling it?"

"Sometimes things just go the way I want them to! That's not my fault if I take advantage!"

"So sometimes quirkless kids- and I saw his shoes, don't try and bullshit me- connected to families of your enemies just spontaneously develop convenient quirks for you? Is that how that works?"

So Tenko summarily stopped being raised as the future successor for All for One's empire, and while Sorahiko would have much rather dropped him off at the nearest police station, orphanage, or the like, he also knows Hisashi well enough that the poor kid would be stuck in a vault within a week to resume his so-called "training."

He has a kid now, and has for the past four years. Sometimes he thinks Hisashi ended up winning with that arrangement, and then he reminds himself that Tenko is still called Tenko and is being raised to be a completely normal child- or, well, as normal a child can be with two villain parents.

Unfortunately, it seems that Hisashi has stopped being quite so bitter about losing his initial plan for Tenko and has fully accepted that he has a kid now, and has summarily began quietly petitioning for another. He's glad that Hisashi's at least attempting to ask permission on this one, but the answer is still hell fucking no.

Tenko is tolerable. He's quiet, minds his own business, there's a decent foundation of mutual respect between him and the now-ten-year-old. It works, and he is not at all keen to try and fix what isn't broken. There is nothing he wants less than a new variable to be added to his current living arrangement.

None of that is relevant at this current point in time, however. Right now, Tenko is at school and he and Hisashi are doing some good old-fashioned illegitimate business.

Right now, some middling human trafficking operation is trying to get Hisashi and his empire as customers to their trade, so the both of them are meeting with the head of it. Privately, they plan on killing him and subsuming the operation into the empire, but there's always variability to these kinds of things.

The man, with an uninteresting quirk that he never bothered to memorize, has apparently brought an underling with him, and before the meeting even begins, he tells the girl to "bring in the goods."

She nods, leaves, and returns holding a chain, which has multiple sets of handcuffs like a hand-holding rope in a kindergarten classroom. Maybe he's just thinking that because in the handcuffs are all small children in various states of distress, with the oldest seeming to be in front and a little runt in the back.

Hisashi appraises them, no doubt looking for decent Noumu material, while Sorahiko very determinedly does not look over at them. He's never agreed with using children in the Noumu trials, and he's consistently fought both Hisashi and Ujiko on that point, but he can't make it seem like they're not a unified front in front of some unimportant scrappers. Out of the corner of his eye, though, he sees Hisashi's expression shift and light up, before turning to the girl- she might be young enough to still be in school, no reason for her to be doing things like this- and telling her to set "the green one" loose.

Sorahiko looks over at who she's freeing, and notes that it's the runt in the back, one who couldn't be older than five. His eyes and hair are a matching bright green, and his face is dripping in tears.

"Sora."

Oh, he knows that tone.

"No."

"Sora."

"That is the face of a child who has a mother at home. Absolutely not."

The child, upon hearing this, cries harder, and Sorahiko feels like he might have just stepped in something he should not have stepped in. Hisashi leans down, looking for all the world like he's perfectly harmless and defenseless, but unless the two adults are exceptionally stupid, they won't try anything.

"What's your name, young man?"

"I- Izuku. I don't, I- they told me Momma died, she's not at home, I don't have a home, I'm sorry- "

Oh, great, now he feels bad. The child breaks down sobbing in response to Sorahiko's brazen comment, and Hisashi looks over at him with a face that is somehow even more pathetic than the literal children in chains.

"Fine. No more."

He will hold Hisashi to that. This is the last kid that he will help raise, he fucking promises. If Hisashi gets pipe dreams of a third, there will be a divorce in his near future.

Hisashi smiles widely, stands, and says to the girl, "We'll take them. Why don't you get yourself and the goods outside for a minute so we can talk business?"

The girl nods silently, with a shrewd look in her eye that makes Sorahiko think that she knows what's about to happen. She ushers the children away with her, glancing between them and her boss.

Ten minutes later, he and Hisashi are both completely spotless, while the rest of the dingy warehouse is covered in blood and various bits of gore.

"Izuku will make a fantastic little brother for Tenko, don't you think?" Hisashi asks conversationally, and Sorahiko groans.

[hythlodaeus-mynewoldfriend]

5 - Is your muse comfortable with public displays of affection? and 12 - Is your muse easily flustered? Do they blush, swear, etc.? For Anthea and Sib!

Ahh! Thank you for asking!

5 - Is your muse comfortable with public displays of affection?

Sib is very comfortable with PDA. While she was more reserved with Haurchefaunt with it (frankly she didn't want people to know they were some kind of together), that still didn't stop those two from uh finding nice alcoves every now and then. This is something that does also happen with Thancred and frankly there is just a heavy sigh that happens from almost everyone when you can't seem to find them. However, there is a more openness with PDA because she's trying to make up for not being able to have the freedom in showing off her partner growing up. She adored and wanted so badly to be like the other girls her age in the markets that had partners, kissing, hugging, laughing, just all of that relationship stuff.

Anthea is fairly comfortable with PDA. She's not as adventerous as Sib, but Thea and Hyth really are just always touching in someway. Hand holding, hugs, arms linked, one sat in the other's lap, etc. Truly they are sweet enough to give someone a cavity. Which is a shift as Anthea wasn't as open to touch for a little bit there having just spent so much time alone inadvertently once their parents returned to the star. Once with Hyth (or other partners in AUs) its like lights click on for them and they realize how much they miss having touch in their lives. For platonic relationships you can expect hugs often!

12 - Is your muse easily flustered? Do they blush, swear, etc.?

Sib is less easily flustered, she's very confident overall and if she's not then you'll never know. At most she'll get not flustered but more of a frustrated with things when they don't work out how they should. Really this just more translates when she tries to be domestic which involves a lot of cursing, screaming into pillows or pots, and then giving up to just go and buy it/find someone else that can do whatever it was she was trying to do #richgirlproblems. Anthea is so so so so much more easily flustered. Truly the masks the ancients wear was such a blessing to helping them hide their feelings. Even when first meeting Hyth they were so flustered and blushing so much because he was just so pretty and they had just bumped into him like that's just so cringe oh my god! They also tend to have more tendencies to anxious thinking and talking in circles. And I'm just gonna show you below in this little snippet:

 “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah.”

“Just what is it that those tickets were for?” He looks up with a furrowed brow, “Well it seems that it's something he does often and as a good friend I wish to try and take an interest in something he enjoys in support.”

“You have a plan forming in there,” he teases, tapping his temple with his pen.

“No,” they sigh when Conner cocks an eyebrow, “Possibly. But I do also want to try and be more accommodating to his interests if possible. If it's something he doesn’t ever invite us to go to then he may be under the impression that we wouldn’t care or find some enjoyment in it.”

“Well I mean-.”

“Though at the same time I guess if it is something he prefers wholeheartedly to do on his own, he is certainly entitled to such a thing, but what if we wanted to give him a gift? We could have the opportunity to get him something really nice and special. Am I being too invasive? I have done worse though, so this is very minor compared to those other things and we are friends and taking an interest in something that-.”

“Okay, slow down there, Anthea,” Conner says, “You’re going to make someone dizzy with the circles you would be running.”

[star-shard]

Thoughts on: Elvis: The Early Years (2005)

It stars Johnathan Rhys Meyers as Elvis, the first episode covers the 50s, and the second covers the 60s. Each episode is around an hour 30 and at the time of writing are available on Freevee.

So the first episode covers the basics, a lot of whats covered in most Elvis properties being how he got started. It's road well tread so I'm going to keep it short and sweet that it's pretty accurate to the events, thats good.

Meyers is a talented actor but it's hard to see him as Elvis, imo. He does the raised lip thing which looks pretty weird rather than natural. And in a majority of songs, they dub him with Elvis's voice. And I'm sorry dude, you don't sound enough like him for that to work. It came off as jarring. That being said he's a fine actor, no doubt about that at all. But, idk, I didn't feel a whole lot of love in his performance. Hard to describe. (AKA Austin Butler has ruined all other EP performances for me lol)

The second episode is what's usually breezed by in depiction of Elvis: The 60s. Even Elvis (2022) does a montage for the early/mid 60s. That's the unique bit of this particular series. Involving his relationship with Pricilla, Ann Margret, and a surprise showing of Larry Gellar. It's a time of his life less shown in media, lets talk about that.

So the 60s were seen as the dark ages for Elvis Presley (if we're to call the 68 special a renaissance). He was making movies he didn't believe in and music that was churned out fast, even for a couple of hits that were found in there (Little Less Conversation, c'mon now), theres just as much throwaway.

I for one really like his 60s era. Idk even if his movies are far from high art I get a lot of enjoyment out of them, and it's an interesting era to know about, one a lot of people ignore.

So any media willing to show it, I encourage that.

So how they'd do?

Well I'm glad they addressed his relationship to Pricilla head on. They didn't skirt it, she was 14 when they met and they say it out loud. I am ALSO glad they made it clear they didn't have sex until she was an adult, also a fact. And it was Elvis's decision, he wanted to wait (they could have just taken the provocative route but they stayed true to reality) As well as his at times turbulent relationship, EP's controlling nature. Loving as he could be, he wasn't the best husband at all.

I wish they showed more of Ann Margret in a positive light. Y'all, the actress for her was so... terrible. Idk why they gave her a sexed up babydoll voice like. No. Sure she was the 'other woman', but she was also an uber talented actress with her own story. And from everything I've read her and Elvis were legit soulmates. I understand why it didn't work out, (EP preferred traditional relationships, thats a roadblock) But I wish they showed more of their souls here. Rather than it being a fling. They were friends for years after, c'mon now.

They were transparent on his drug use, spending habits, how it negatively affected those around him. A rare violent moment when he was drugged up and injured a woman with a pool cue. And also on how Tom Parker held his career back for money. Truths.

Elvis's interest in spirituality was also shown but... in a very negative light. Now, I won't pretend I know exactly what happened. If my friend ran up preaching at random hours maybe I'd be concerned too. But it's always rubbed me the wrong way that it's depicted like a drug fueled weird detour in his life.

To my understanding Elvis was unhappy with where his work had been going, and what his place was. When you're unhappy, you look for answers. He was already an avid reader so of course he'd look into finding religion. Maybe Larry Gellar had other motives, I don't know, but his inner circle forcing him to burn his books comes off as... ugly. It truly did happen, which makes it even worse.

The scene tries to paint Elvis as a lost kind of person going off the rails but it just ended up with me kind of hating the Memphis Mafia. Dude, if your friend/employer is starting to rave about the meaning of life and what he's here for, maybe thats an INDICATION that he needs a different kind of support than he's gotten and it's not be joked about. Burn the drugs, not the books.

#ElvisNeededTherapy

Religion was the least of his problems, that's all I'm saying.

And they show the whole 'Elvis wasn't recognized on Hollywood Blvd.' story which, is unconfirmed let's face it. It's a good indication on where he was in life, but this miniseries is going for more realism so idk thats a weird moment (yeah his movies weren't doing great but ur telling me NOBODY recognized him? Not buying that one)

The more I watch other depictions of Elvis, the more I can see why Elvis (2022) is praised. So many of these series paint post-50s Elvis in a depressing light, like he was never happy and a has-been always ten feet away from relevancy. It comes off as so dark.

(Side note something I noticed is: Most people that hate his post 50s career seem to be specifically music artists that were inspired by him. They wanted him to be everything and were angry that he couldn't be that.)

It's important to address his flaws but, I just really feel tired after depictions like this. And not in a way like I got to know him. Movies that strictly take after Elvis: What Happened, and Elvis and Me, I always take with a grain of salt. (Written by scorned parties, there were true stories that were written fast and both pools of writers have regretted/taken back parts of their books)

Yeah, I just appreciate Elvis (2022) so much now. It showed both his darker sides while still maintaining his humanity. It showed his teeth and also explained why they'd gotten so sharp. It explained WHY he lashed out, why he felt the way he did. Rather than taking the sides of people that would gain from writing a tell all book for the fourth time.

[sarah-gratton]

A quick review of The Banshees of Inisherin

I never fancied myself as a movie reviewer but there was something about this film that makes me want to talk about it. Though a period piece, the dialogue, drama and character interactions could take place in any time if you took it out of its set and put it in any other location. It presents us with a small rural community where everyone knows one another, which is familiar to anyone who has lived it.

There’s a comforting warmth that comes with watching this film: everyone knowing each other on first-name basis, the fast-moving gossip, the routine trips to the pub because of the fact there’s nothing else to do. It’s also relatable to anyone who has experienced a friendship breakup – the way that the ex-friend will continue being friendly with everyone except you, and the heartbreak and humiliation that comes with that. Seeing them succeed when you are being left behind is one of the most painful feelings a person can experience. Colm’s extreme measures to get Padraic to leave him alone leaves us feeling so sad for both men, because it’s clearly not easy on Colm either. There’s reluctance on his face whenever the two interact; a resistance that hints to the audience that he doesn’t want to be treating his best friend like that, despite doing the most to keep him away and prove his point. This is especially evident when Padriac gets beaten by Peader in front of him, as all he does is watch with a pained expression. The film provides a sort of assurance to those who’ve experienced the sudden loss of a friend and shows us that even men in their older age can experience the strained heartache of a friend that wants nothing to do with them. It’s the sudden broken routine combined with the stares from your peers, and it makes you feel confused and lonely, not to mention paranoid. How, even in a room full of people, the only one you really want to talk to is the one who doesn’t even look at you but when they do you can’t even begin to imagine what they truly think of you.

The political under themes of the movie are carefully placed but are still important enough to show the impact of the troubles in Ireland, especially in small, social communities who watch from afar.

The entire cast does an incredible job. There’s a clear rapport between each member and the flow is unbreakable. The conversations that take place are so believable and realistic and it adds to the familiarity this film so greatly brings.

I grew up in an Irish family in the south-west of England who was heavily involved with traditional folk things, such as morris dancing, wassails and may day faryes with the ale flowing and men getting a bit too confident in their baldrics. Dingy cold pubs from the 1600’s that smelled of damp wood and cigarettes, fiddle and drum music with bells and folk ballads were a large part of my growing up, as well as the quick-talking blunt Irish relatives, so there was a sense of nostalgia this film evoked in me. While the film does escalate and I won’t spoil that for you, there’s definitely a large bittersweet feeling you get at the end of it. So much happens and you’re at the edge of your seat, wishing for things to be better but also anticipating the bad. To this film, I say: “Any time.”

[kiillerqueen]

Karsen envies how easy it seems to be for her girlfriend to not have her thoughts overtake her mind. The thing is , Karsen seems to never be able to shut off her mind and it could be a good reason why sleep isn't her friend. ❝ Oh how I wish that I could be so care free about things like you are , but I do know that you're right. That I should be focusing on the now and not about something that maybe won't even happen. I promise I will try and work on remaining in the now and not the future. ❞ It is easy for the blonde to make such a promise but it was going to be more challenging to actually keep it. Karsen is already in fear of the enemies her father has made along the road. Yet she knew many feared her father for the things he had done to people who crossed his path the wrong way , but soon enough her kind hearted brother would be stepping into the place their father once had. Even if Karsen isn't really involved in what happens with her family and the crimes that they take part in , she isn't stupid in knowing that people will use the kind heart of her older brother as a tool to fuck him and his family over. As distant as Karsen is with her family , their still her family in the end and she does love them regardless. ❝ I can lay here and tell you that I can try my best to not overthink , but I know what they're capable of. I don't fear the idea of it happening the moment that Declan takes over because I know he will let me live my life how I want it. He is kind of like you in the aspect of having such a beautiful heart. ❞ It is the only thing that the femme is looking forward to when Declan takes charge. Knowing she will be able to live her life free to do whatever it is that she desires as long as it isn't going to harm her or the others in the long run. However until then her anxiety is going to get the better of her but she is lucky to have someone like her girlfriend to help her keep her mind at rest during those moments.

Saoirse's words bring a soft smile to hear lips knowing that the other femme wasn't going anywhere. ❝ Good , because I truly because that I would be lost without you. You're the first relationship that was in it for more than just the rush of being with someone that comes from a powerful family. Not only that but I've never been in love with someone the way that I am with you. ❞ Blonde's gaze locks with the femme that is still laying beside her , a laugh escaping her at the other's reaction about the news of the age of her father's soon to be wife. ❝ Yeah I can't exactly say that it isn't disgusting , but I am sure she is in it for the idea of the money and the title of being married to a powerful man. I give it maybe a couple months they will be married until my father steps down and she will be out of the picture. Unless .... well Amelia is the cause of it. You're probably right , I just wish that Declan would for once be his own man and not the one he thinks my father wants. ❞ Karsen sighs at the thought of her brother. ❝ Those all sound like wonderful ideas , and definitely think that we could do the last option and maybe one of the other ones too. ❞ A smirk creeping upon femme's lips.

Continued || @thewcllingtons

[eitherandor-blog]

A Love Like This

Being a parent involves- and requires- learning everyday.  The following list are lessons for me, in my home, and may be relevant for you too.  This is in part an effort to speak these into existence and hold myself accountable.  As I’m a lifelong learner, which I think is all parenting, more teaching is sure to come.

Bows aren’t for girls.  They’re for parents who need you to know their child is a girl.   No child has to wear them nor should any be barred from them.  I don’t like bows (really really don’t) because they feel like an overt gender marker by adults, but the same applies to clothing.  If your kid wants to include something in their wardrobe, let them.  No matter their gender nor what colors they want to wear.

Consent can be taught at any age.  It needs to be.  Loving on my children comes easily to me but that doesn’t mean it’s always wanted or should be on my terms.  Let’s be sure the young people in our lives learn this and we demand it from the adults too.  It can and should be part of how we interact with each other and how we interact with kids.

Being a parent is a political act.  People parent their politics.  This means every time you express a vow or view to your child, there are also those you fundamentally disagree with who are imparting hatred and bigotry unto theirs.  This also means that passivity in your parenting helps no one.

Children are loving first.  This can be really difficult as an adult but no less possible.  I think being a parent challenges me to treat people more lovingly.  

Kids can meltdown like it’s the end of the world.  They’re also more resilient than adults and often able to quickly recover (though many pout well too).  Embrace the many emotions they show as human.  I’ve tried to be more genuine with my emotions for myself and for my children.  I ask to better understand theirs and explain my own so I don’t assume they process what I am verbally and nonverbally communicating.

To that point, there are times where I get impatient or upset.  It can be SO hard to keep composed when a child (or anyone) is intentionally not listening to you!  What I always thought was infinite patience in my professional life gets challenged with my kids.   Sometimes, I don’t like how I respond to them.  When you mess up, be sure to apologize to your children.  Not if, but when.  It doesn’t mean they will forgive you or forget how you acted, and that cannot be the expectation.  They just deserve an apology and it’s your job as the adult to give them space to process.

I think parents always want the best for their children.  Some want more for theirs than for yours due to entitlement, greed, or privilege.  There’s a difference though from wishing good things for your kids and denying other children something because (you think) it elevates your own.  I truly want good things for my children.  I want that for yours too and try to parent that way so my children do not think they deserve anything unique or special.  They ARE unique and special, just as much as every other kid they know and see.

Life can and will continue to be stressful.  It can and should be fun at times too.  Relearning to play and taking time to laugh, dance, and sing isn’t always automatic for me but it brings joy to my family and relaxes my heart and soul.  When I stress about not getting to do all the things from my to-do list, I need to remember these playful moments are for me as well as my children, and just as important for me as they are for them.

Travel with snacks.  Adults like them too.

There are no easy days being a parent.  I am not sure there ever will be.  No nights where I wake up well rested with enough sleep on my terms, instead the days are often at the mercy of kid waking hours, moods, and needs.  I believe that parenting is a choice and how I parent is a choice too.  I think it also should be a choice if you want to be a parent because I do not think it is right or required for everyone to become or feel like an “adult” (whatever that means).

Since my first child was born, my life has changed in inconceivable ways.  [It’s funny how much preparation can go into becoming a parent and yet how woefully unprepared some of us are for what’s to come.]  Many of my relationships have shifted with people where I feel disconnected from them if they don’t have kids or a greater level of connection if they do.  How and what I prioritize is not what I thought or usually what I want.  My schedule is about the kids first.  Those are just a few ways things that have changed..but I am still me.  Parenting is part of my life and who I am, not my singular identity.  I am still a lonely extrovert looking for more time with friends and family.  I am opinionated and outspoken and political with much of my being.  I still like sports AND musical theater, feel most alive on the dance floor, and want to spend time in the future knitting and reading whenever I catch my breath.  Plus I’m a parent.  That trait is with me always now, and the kids are always always on my mind and part of the prism of how I see the world and operate.  But if you think I am an entirely different person, we probably are overdue to reconnect.  Looking forward to catching up.  You can expect to hear a little about my kids- but there’s much more to learn than that.

(This blog title comes from a song by the same by Ben Rector.  Though a littttle more mainstream now, you may have never heard of him but Ben Rector is one of my favorite singer-songwriters.  Check out “A Love Like This” here.)