I like the idea of Crystal starting an Instagram (Twitter, tumblr would work too, but for this I need insta) and posting about the boys. Like:
*photo of the office. No one there. Irl Charles is holding a book out of Edwin's reach, both are laughing*
Caption: "Edwin and Charles are flirting again... maybe we'll get work done tomorrow"
And so people think she's a great shit poster, with these two OC's that are gay teen ghost detectives.
I can also imagine her having a vlog, or maybe Nico, and it's just her talking so it'd be like "today's case - yes Edwin im filming a "vlog" - today's case - Charles they can't hear you, yes I'll tell them you were bad ass, no you can't show them your moves - today's case we had to-"
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Having more thoughts about Shen Jiu because of course I am.
I don’t think he has the capacity for empathy or genuine selflessness.
He spent the entirety of his formative years deep in survival mode, and because of that, he evaluates people solely based off of how they might threaten or ensure his safety and/or comfort. As far as individual people themselves with their own perspectives… honestly I don’t think he even thinks of that.
Maybe a controversial opinion, but I don’t think even YQY is exempt.
Shen Jiu doesn’t have a moral code. When every day is spent on surviving, a moral code is a luxury.
And really, he just never got out of that mode. See, the thing is, once you’ve had enough adverse experiences it only takes a little bit to trigger you back into that mindset. Shen Jiu was used to being scolded and then beaten or abused, so for him, even a simple chiding is a precursor to abuse— even if he DOES recognize that nothing more will happen, his body and mental patterns will still go into that preparation time.
So of course he never left survival mode, because even if nothing is actively happening, your mind will keep reinforcing those patterns.
For someone with a normal upbringing, as far as I can tell, empathy is something you learn and develop from those around you. Many seem to think it’s something innate and natural and if you don’t have it then there’s something wrong with you from birth. I think Shen Jiu falls into exactly this category of thought— and so he doesn’t even consider that he could try to learn and develop it as a skill he can perform, even if it doesn’t come naturally.
Of course, would he even try? He hasn’t been given any incentive. Any time he has tried to do something good, he ends up getting hurt (saving Yue Qi leading to being taken by QJL) or misinterpreted and admonished (the well ghost incident, keep in mind my earlier point about scoldings perpetuating the same patterns).
So he stays in that same vicious cycle, perpetually in survival mode and unable to escape, even in a relatively secure position (see: his paranoia).
Now, this is all relevant to the discussions of SJ’s feminism, misogyny, and/or lack thereof. I feel like a lot of discussions aren’t really getting the full picture.
SJ sees people, no matter who they are, as solely how they can affect him. Just because this isn’t exclusive to women, or because if comes from a reasonable place, does that really mean it doesn’t play into misogyny?
Let’s take another angle.
I think his abuse of LBH and other talented disciples also is rooted, deep down, in this same issue. He’s not just hurting LBH only to hurt him, his aim is specifically to stunt his cultivation. There’s jealousy at play there of course, but there’s a bit more layers to it too— SJ doesn’t think he’s capable of goodness. So reasonably, he’ll be a bad teacher. He already knows what happens when someone becomes more powerful than their oppressor. LBH may be a child now, but a part of SJ whether he acknowledges it or not sees him as a future threat that needs to be treated as such.
It’s rooted in fear— because everything is with SJ.
So does that mean it’s not actually abuse?
No. The behaviors he shows are still abusive, the reasoning just gives a lens for understanding.
Now, with his views on women— I mentioned in the tags of my original post that I don’t think he views women as people. This is based in that earlier idea of how he interprets others based off their risk and benefit to him. For women specifically, though, there’s another layer.
Shen Jiu grew up in a society where women are inherently lesser— and he grew up in an extreme version of this. He saw women being treated as property firsthand(both as slaves, as well as QJL’s views on his sister). Your worldview is shaped by the world that you view during those early years. Whether he agreed or not, SJ would still take on the patterns of his environment. This, though, is just the same as general societal misogyny and ingrained bias. I don’t think he’s any different than anyone else in this way.
But where SJ’s particular flavor comes in is that to him, women are a source of comfort. For various reasons— positive past experiences, less threatening (or at least don’t carry the dangers men do). He craves comfort— needs it really, because he doesn’t get it and his cortisol levels are always so high they’re poisoning his body. Women are the best source of that comfort for him.
It’s not that he likes them— at least, not any more than someone would like drinking water, or a coat in the winter. They’re fulfilling a survival need for him.
That is what the objectification is where SJ is concerned.
So… is it misogyny?
I’d say yes, in a way it still is. It’s not violent, and it doesn’t come from some inherent sense of “superiority as a man” but at the core of it all, he’s still not viewing women as people, and he has no interest in changing the status quo, because it benefits him to be able to go purchase comfort at a pleasure house, even if it’s not what people usually do there. The picture is bigger than just misogyny, but the traits taken as themselves are misogynistic nonetheless.
I could go into his specific relationships with women and how that informs his character, but this post is already long enough. We know that he mentally divides people by sex, and that distinction has a lot of weight in his judgment of them. Even if it comes from a place of trauma, even if it comes from a general worldview that applies to everyone, he still views women as a commodity— so on some level, and from an outside perspective, he is misogynistic.
In the end, though, it still all comes from him being stuck in survival mode. His lack of empathy, his viewing others as risks and benefits— these things themselves aren’t moral failings— it’s just a consequence of his environment. He’s a bad person because he won’t confront this, develop a moral code, and act on it, not because he doesn’t experience empathy.
But in his circumstance, there’s not really a chance for him to choose to be good. Because he’s still trying to survive, and goodness is a luxury he doesn’t realize he can afford now.
He’s scum, but pitiful, you know?
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Something I noticed about Poison
*These two*
This is a free transactional/thankful hand shake between two lovers who are abusers; Val is Overt & Vox is Covert.
(Please read what's above if you do not know what Overt/Covert means.)
Note: These terms will be brought up again.
-Vox's face is smug, a sense of accomplishment residing in said smugness.
- Additionally, he is gazing away from his lover to look towards Angels Bedroom.
-The, oh shit your up & walking face. (A massive tell tale sign someone feels caught; aka the victim or a bystander has seen the abuser in/after the act.)
^^^The drop of his heads posture/Widening of his eyes, mainly his hypnosis eye/His frown.^^^ (He uses his hypnosis eye for control)
-Lil side note: The demon doing repair work, looks very uncomfortable, I think it's the only expression he makes. (This does not remove the fact that he has been drawn with a face of discomfort; engaging with apathy/sloth with a hint of sadness.)
-Vox is giving Val a gaze that speaks "are you going to keep things under control?" aka, Angel, the prized porn star. OR. You got this right? (simplified take)
-Vals lip expression shows lack of enthusiasm plus lack of joy.
^^^Val uses this expression to show disapproval while asserting dominance. (A common tactic with abusers; both Overt & Covert abusers do this often as a means of utilizing fear. Because the victim knows they are upset & know what can happen when said abuser is upset.) + (Lowkey difference: Covert abusers are more carful about who is around to see/read that mentally abusive power move/Overt abusers usually thrive with an audience around.)
-This is the face of an abuser who has gotten away with it, through the aid of a lover. (It is not uncommon for SA abusers to share their victims/help other abusers SA individuals.) He knows that he got away with it, of course he did, they are top dog overlords who control minds & bodies through media influence.
^^^Vox gets away with keeping Angels truth a tucked away secret- (Him being raped via means of being drugged up in his own bedroom)-through Val; whom uses overt means of control, while Vox prefers his less tasteful habits be less known. Val makes sure what happened, stays unknown by others.
^^^Something something, birds of a feather or some crap^^^
(Match made in hell dead ass.)
*Reminder that this is Angels bedroom*
-He's super disorientated, & has no idea what time it is & is most likely slowly processing what the actual fuck has happened.
^^^Recovering from being high out of his mind on cocaine & Vals Saliva/or the love potion made by Val & Velvet.^^^
-Background noise such as running water can allow some people to focus/calm down from a panic attack or both.
-He looks so hurt yet tired. (He's just sick of being so personally used as an object by genuine rapists.)
-It all comes back to him & hits him like a train.
Edit note: I sent this post by mistake when it wasn't finished so I had to rush these last bits. (I can expand more on this in the future maybe)
Last note: I wish we got a scene of Vox asking sex from Angel but that request is declined/ or invading Angels space. (Its very impactful but needs genuine breathing room outside of the music video.)
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small leisurely moments like these mean more than expected
ok hi triglycergang. it's AUGUST?!?!?! ugh,,,, anyways here's my like once a month art piece because i am a slow ass artist. the mtt are supposed to be chatting at a park during sunset!!! also new au just dropped
you wonder why killer dust and horror are wearing those DISGUSTING outfits??? you wonder where killer's soul is??? well it's all gone in this au which is called uhhh.
jk fashion au... wooooo!!
first things first to know: this au is NOT my idea. it was originally someone on twitter's idea to dress sans aus up in nanchatte seifuku but i think their account got deleted/banned. and i cant find the account because it was a japanese account and probably has some random username. so just remember that this isn't my idea but i guess my own twist on it. i really wish i could find the og creator,,,,
second thing to know: what the fuck nanchatte seifuku/jk (just kidding) fashion even is. here's the link to read for yourself: https://aesthetics.fandom.com/wiki/Nanchatte_Seifuku. yeah that's jk fashion. i really loved this au when i found it originally because i myself dress up in jk and also i just really love soft fluffy things like this. this au isn't gonna be angsty or particularly elaborate or anything i just wanted cute things and women in my murder time trio. also this isn't gyaru btw
third thing: uhh my inspirations for this??? well my main one that i really wanna focus on is that feeling of happy sentimental melancholy. you know like after you finish a really fun day hanging out with your friends and youre on the drive home and look back at how fun the day was? that's what i wanna encapsulate :3 also i think that the day to day school life is really cute and sweet and i wanna make more designs for the other aus so my trio can have more people to hang out with
well uhhh i think that's it?? mayhaps i shall begin drafting up other designs for the other aus. i wanna make little mini comics for this too like 4koma because i love those short yet sweet comics!!! should i tag this? i think i should tag this perchance. also extra mtt notes/full designs below became i love these three they're my daughters
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