#Idk it just seems soooo condescending | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

raven-at-the-writing-desk · 2 years

Note

Idk why but seeing Sebek so high on your tier list made me inexplicably happy. He kind of annoyed me when I first started playing, but that was before I read his personal stories. Man I was a fool because he’s now one of my favorites (I’m a first year squad stan and he’s one of my faves of the group). Like he’s so serious as a person but a lot of his moments are actually pretty funny. Anyway this has been Appreciate Sebek Hours and I shall raise a carton of coffee milk to him

[Referencing this post!]

Like coffee, Sebek is kind of a strong and acquired taste.

I totally get why a lot of people are initially turned off by him when he’s so brazen, loud, and obsessive. I know that I personally started TWST not expecting a lot out of Sebek; I couldn’t really take his pastel green Phoenix Wright design that seriously, and I didn’t like his personality since a lot of the early promotional materials marketed Sebek as being defined predominantly by his devotion and worship of Malleus. I’m relieved to see Sebek having character outside of his reverence for his dorm leader and prince.

I feel that since Sebek takes himself so seriously despite basically being a dumb and childish kid himself, it plays off well with other characters that clearly don’t have the same intense viewpoints as he does. That contrast creates a lot of ridiculous and comedic moments like the time Sebek cried because a cookie Malleus gave him got crushed, or the time Sebek threw a tantrum because he didn’t end up on the same team as his lord. He tries so hard to be cool and mature, but it just comes off as either really smug/condescending (ie shouting about how no one can be as majestic as Silver) or weirdly pathetic (ie stumbling over his words when Malleus tells him to be off to his next class instead of standing around and shouting at Ace and Grim) 😹 Sebek really embodies the cringey way real teenagers act sometimes... too much in a rush to grow up and prove himself to those he looks up to, not realizing how his words and actions can come off to others as hurtful or as just plain silly.

I think Sebek’s biggest deterrent is probably his... discrimination against humans (or basically anyone that isn’t fae). I can see why that would make people uncomfortable when they consider his character. Racism is just plain wrong, end of story. However, I believe that Sebek is purposefully written as such so the main story can correct his behavior and show him the error of his ways (similar to how chapter 5 has Vil teaching Epel that his traditional views on masculinity and femininity are outdated).

Actually! What I find really interesting about Sebek is that his situation seems to be poised to address an issue that isn’t often mentioned in popular media, and I think it’s important to discuss it. Soooo, without further ado--

***Content warning: discussion of racism (more specifically, internalized racism) and mentions of war below the cut.*** ***Please note that I am in NO way condoning racism or war; I am speaking on these topics in an analytical manner. My only intentions in writing this post are to theorize and to educate. I am NOT defending Sebek or his actions, but rather critically commenting on how his circumstances may have played into his current characterization.***

We learn that Sebek is half human and half fae from Silver in chapter 5. While Sebek is busy chiding others and (once again) referring to them as “humans” (derogatory), Silver points out that Sebek himself is half human. Then, through Sebek’s Birthday Boy vignettes, we indeed learn that his mother is a nocturnal fairy while his father is a human.

So if Sebek is half human, then it begs the following questions: why does he seem to hate humans so much? Why does he never make mention of his own heritage, and instead chooses to exclusively extol fae?

Two words: internalized racism.

“Hold on!” I hear you saying. “What is internalized racism, and how does it differ from the regular definition of racism?”

Well, according to the Oxford dictionary, racism is “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized”. Internalized racism is when those minorities or marginalized groups turn the oppression inward, which results in hating their own group. In Sebek’s case, this hatred is directed at humans--the side of himself that he seems to resent and be ashamed of.

It’s completely believable that Sebek would end up the way that he is. From what little we know of the Briar Valley and of fae in Twisted Wonderland, we can make many inferences and come to this conclusion. The population of Sebek’s home country is said to be predominantly fae, and they often use magic rather than technology to complete everyday tasks. (For example, if they want to go somewhere, the preferred “mode of transportation” is flight instead of cars.) The Briar Valley appears to be a very traditional, old-fashioned nation that is set in its ways.

Furthermore, it seems that most fae, as diverse as they are, seem to be exclusionary to other races (though we learn in Fairy Gala and FG: What If that, even among fae, there can be conflicts and discrimination; for example, nocturnal and diurnal fae do not get along). We somewhat observe this in Malleus, as he casually talks about the feats he is able to perform, whether magical or physical. At the same time, the tone he takes when addressing his classmates, even fellow third years and peers, is somewhat haughty (referring to humans as “child”/”children” of man as if to imply they are juvenile and inexperienced, outright saying that everyone is “like a baby” compared to him, and brushing off their magic as though it is nothing to him). These can be perceived as microaggressions, or “commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental slights, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes towards others of a particular group”. The fairies we see in Fairy Gala and even Vargas CAMP! also reflect this, as they chase out humans from their event and/or territory. In Fairy Gala in particular, it’s implied that the fairies will reject or be hostile towards those not perceived as fairies at their gatherings, which is why the boys have to cover themselves with Fairy Dust to “blend in” and pass as fairies. It wouldn’t be too strange to assume that similar exclusion occurs in the Briar Valley, especially considering that fae are the majority and humans are the minority.

I want to take a brief moment to note that the behavior discussed in the previous paragraph is exclusive to fae. Beastmen and merpeople, two other races, engage with humans in a far less antagonistic ways.

We do sometimes see beastmen talk down to humans, typically on account of believing that humans are weak, but the beastmen we’ve observed so far have never attacked others simply due to not being of the same race as them. It seems that beastmen discriminate based mostly on whether or not they believe another person can hold themselves in a fight--it’s a very “survival of the fittest” viewpoint. Interestingly, Ruggie is said to be lacking in physical strength, but commands respect due to his reputation of being Leona’s (someone who is significantly stronger, and considered the “leader of the pack) right hand man. I wonder if hyenas (who appear to be on the lower social rungs of the Sunset Savanna) are also seen as somehow “weaker” than other beastmen, which may explain their place in the hierarchy (as the beastment we’ve seen so far seem to value physical strength).

Meanwhile, merpeople have arguably been the most amicable with humans and by far the most open to the idea of integrating with human society (though it hasn’t always been this way). This goes back to their history, which tells the tale of a curious Mermaid Princess that made a deal with the Sea Witch to obtain legs and explore the world above. That same Mermaid Princess would go on to establish a program for young merfolk to come to the surface to study and learn about land culture. There’s even a special bureau that hands out free potions that give merpeople human forms (1 potion lasts anywhere from 7 to 10 days), so long as those merpeople wish to migrate and/or establish careers in the world above. However, I do want to point out that merfolk DO seem to discriminate within themselves based on traits such as how fast they can swim (as Azul cites being bullied because he had bulky limbs which made him a slow swimmer). Again, this is a very “survival of the fittest” mindset, which I believe makes sense for both merfolk and beastmen, who are “wild animal” based races subject to the whims of Mother Nature.

It is only fae that appear to discriminate against non-fae (specifically humans) so intensely, and on a basis that extends beyond the “survival of the fittest” belief. They live in their own closed-off circles and believe that their own kind are “better than” those outside of those circles. Living longer, fae have more wisdom. Using magic all the time, fae have more skill. No human could hope to compare.

This part is pure speculation, but there have been mentions of a human-fae war in Twisted Wonderland’s history, and I wonder if the Briar Valley played a significant role in that (seeing as Lilia is described to be a decorated war veteran). If so, this may also be more evidence toward the internalized racism Sebek has developed. Regardless of who won or lost this war, if the Briar Valley took part in it, then its fae residents would definitely hold prejudice toward humans, who were on the opposing side. There might have been intense fear that developed concerning humans who have lived in the valley for generations, simply due to being of the same race as the enemies the fae were fighting. Such paranoia could very well have led into racist legal measures being implemented against humans, or fae turning on their human neighbors and reporting them under suspicion of being spies or traitors. This can go right down to what is taught to children in school: view the enemy and those similar to the enemy as outsiders, even hate them, while building up your own country and your countrymen as shining beacons. As horrible and as scary as all of this is, these are all real things that have happened and are happening during wars in real life--and children, being as pliable as they are, can easily buy into wartime propaganda.

UPDATE: Some of the things I said in the previous paragraph were confirmed in book 7. Briar Valley did, in fact, participate in the war, and they even lost their crown princess (Malleus's mother) in the conflict. The human invaders also ravaged the Land of Briar for its natural resources against the fae’s wishes. Due to how the continent is divided up in modern day Twisted Wonderland, it does appear that they were the losers in the war and had to give up their land to the human nations (though this part is just speculation; more on this theory here). I can easily see why the fae in Briar Valley might harbor and perpetuate disdain toward any non-fae, and humans in particular.

When Sebek tells us about his parents, he mentions that “there were many among [my mother’s] peers who opposed her marriage to a human”. In other words, there was a distinct social push against the union of people from two different races (which isn’t that hard to believe, especially seeing how “old-fashioned” the Briar Valley is implied to be and how fae appear to discriminate against other races in general). As offspring resulting from that union, Sebek may have faced considerable hardships in his childhood. He’s not like the other children (most of which, I’d presume, are either fully fae or fully human), he’s an anomaly. I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that Sebek might have been ostracized because of who his parents were. (In book 7, he is discriminated against by his own grandfather who calls him a “human” and derides him for lacking the Zigvolt family’s signature scales.) On top of that, he grew up in a society that seems to heavily favor fae and those capable of using magic--traits that don’t apply to his father.

Another detail which may have contributed to Sebek being looked at differently by his peers is that he was a late bloomer with his magic. It’s probable that others looked down on Sebek because he manifested his magical abilities late in life. Imagine years and years of being surrounded by peers that are just more skilled and talented than you, and they often treat you differently because of that. Whether it’s overt bullying (fighting, name calling, taunting) or subtle snubs (ie excluding him or giving strange looks), they would all hurt and deeply wound a growing child like Sebek who is still trying to make sense of the world and his place in it. Let’s also remember that he has an older brother and an older sister that he could easily compare himself to, and a (retired royal guard) grandfather with a great legacy to live up to. (Side note on Sebek’s grandpa: he is described to be very old-fashioned and discriminatory himself, so it’s possible his ideals rubbed off on Sebek, especially seeing as Sebek says he spent a lot of time in his youth at his grandfather’s.)

Of course Sebek would develop great shame for the half that is looked down on by seemingly everyone outside of his immediate family. Of course he would embrace the “superior” side of his heritage, the culture and air of righteousness that pervades his country. Of course he would shun his “inferior” side, going so far as to make no mention of it to others (note that it was Silver, who is fully comfortable being a full-blooded human raised by a fae, who outed Sebek’s half bloodedness, rather than Sebek himself). Of course he would worship Malleus, the epitome of the power and might that fae can wield. He’s seeking validation in his very VERY confused identity, which is a struggle that many teenagers in real life have to deal with.

I propose that this is how Sebek has learned to cope with the struggles of growing up half human, half fae: by rejecting his humanity and aggressively embracing being fae. All his boisterousness and the acting out he gets up to is him denying a part of himself. He’s projecting it to the world to see and hear--because if he says it enough times, and says it loudly enough, then surely he can convince himself that he isn’t somehow “less than” his fellow countrymen, right? (Or so that’s probably what Sebek tells himself.) It might not be the best way to cope, but it was, perhaps, the only way Sebek knew how to cope. When most of your country looks at you like you’re the strange one, how is a child supposed to fight back? He can’t--so with little to no other options, his psyche turned that hatred inward as a defense mechanism to protect himself and his ego.

This internalized racism helps explain why Sebek’s relationship with his dad seem so... strange (well, at least from the kid’s end). Sebek’s grandfather (from his mother’s side) is a retired soldier and war hero serving under General Lilia. His mother is also said to be highly proficient with magic since a very young age, and boasts strong principles and unbending conviction. Sebek is very proud of these parts of his family while expressing confusion at and criticism of his father, who is, by comparison, unremarkable. He notes that his father buys him sweets and snacks unprovoked, and showers the kids with attention and praise. It’s strange; Sebek constantly shouts about humans and how weak and insignificant they are at school, then in the same breath Sebek can communicate that he doesn’t “understand” his father, but he never directly insults him.

I don’t believe that Sebek hates his dad, but that his odd behavior toward him is a result of cognitive dissonance. Sebek (theoretically) resents his human blood because of how it is looked down on in the Briar Valley, but he cannot find it within himself to resent his father for it. How can he, when his dad has been nothing but doting and supportive to his entire family? Yet Sebek’s pride won’t allow him to outright acknowledge his love for his father, won’t let him show weakness or bend a knee to a “mere” human.

There’s also another angle to Sebek’s cognitive dissonance. How can his father—magicless and utterly unremarkable—be so carefree and content when Sebek has been told his entire life that magicless creatures are second class citizens? How can his father be so genuinely supportive of his children, who are capable of magic without becoming jealous? How can his father be so comfortable with himself, despite not being fae, despite not being able to use magic? By all accounts, the way his father lives and is satisfied with what he already has flies in the face of everything Sebek has been taught by the Briar Valley, and this totally baffles him.

In Sebek’s Union Birthday vignettes, we see just how much he really cares for his dad. When asked who he would pick to be with him on a deserted island (and it can’t be anyone from his own dorm), Sebek replies with Trey. Why Trey, even though he doesn’t seem to have any skills for surviving in the wilderness? Because (as Sebek himself states), Trey reminds him of his father. “No matter what I say to him, he would always talk to me without being fazed whatsoever.” Jack, Sebek’s interviewer, points out that his dad must have a big heart, and that he must be someone Sebek can rely on. To this, Sebek reacts with embarrassment and insists that he does NOT rely on his father, then rushes to move on to the next question.

It’s probably very strange to Sebek that his dad loves him so much, as it is likely a strong contrast to how those outside of his immediate family perceive and treat him. Society has taught Sebek that humans are inferior to fae, and yet here is a human that doesn’t care what he or Sebek is or isn’t. He just loves his family, and loves Sebek, regardless of what everyone else says or thinks of them. Sebek doesn’t know how to react to that, and it’s so off-putting. His dad gives him such pure and unconditional love, and I think that Sebek recognizes that, but he feels too ashamed to express his gratitude and reciprocate that unyielding love (which, I suspect, is due in part to all that internalized racism). It only contributes to his ongoing identity crisis--a crisis that, mind you, has him dividing people in "fae" and "humans" rather than "fae", "humans", "merpeople", and "beastmen. Why? Because Sebek is fixating on the two sides of himself, his "fae"-ness and his humanity... and lost in that conflict is himself and the connections he could have made with others. If you think about it that way, Sebek is not only hurting those around him, but he’s also (unintentionally) sabotaging himself and his relationships. It’s proof that racism is terrible for everyone involved, even the people perpetuating it.

Sebek never feels like he’s enough. He’s always rushing to get somewhere, rushing to prove himself in the eyes of others. He’s the last in the Diasomnia group to go to NRC, he feels the need to compete with and outperform Silver, his magic came to him late… and to top it all off, he’s questioning who he is: fae or human, both or neither? Now he’s overcorrecting, overcompensating, in an effort to be seen as someone worth having around. This is why he loudly declares his fae heritage and shuts down humans. This is why he is so desperate for praise. This is explains SO much about him.

So why did I spend several paragraphs detailing Sebek’s internalized racism to you? Because, as I’ve said earlier in this post, this is something that happens in the real world and it is not discussed enough in a lot of the media we consume.

I feel like Sebek’s dilemma can be very relatable, particularly to those struggling with an identity crisis of their own, be it those of mixed race, those hailing from unconventional family structures, or anything else which may make them “different”. Of course, this is NOT a blanket statement. Everyone does not go through the same struggles, and every person’s experiences are unique. I am only presenting my own speculation on how Sebek’s situation relates to the real world.

I know that I’ve personally gone through an identity struggle that looks a lot like how I theorized Sebek’s to be, so his character really hits close to home 💦 Without getting into too many specifics, I’m considered a minority in my country, and I’ve received a lot of ridicule because of it. I cannot count the number of times I’ve seriously been told that my native language sounds “weird”, been made fun of for my appearance (particularly my eye shape), stereotyped as smart just because of my race, or called insensitive nicknames. It got to the point where I started to resent my heritage (refusing to eat our foods, refusing to speak our language, refusing to learn about our history), which I saw as alienating me from my peers--but it seemed that no matter what I did, neither culture that I was a part of fully accepted me. The people I was trying to fit in with never considered me part of their group, and my extended family thought I was “different” from them since I was not born and raised in our home country. I was disconnected from my peers and my relatives. It felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. I can really understand what Sebek is probably going through, because I’ve lived it myself.

Now that I’m older and wiser, I look back at that period of my life and realize how toxic it really was. I’m reconnecting with my roots and coming to embrace and love the culture I grew up in, and the culture of the family that I was born into--both sides. But here’s the thing: people don’t always identify internalized racism and recognize it as something that is harmful (both to themselves and to the people around them). That’s why I’m hopeful for Sebek, what chapter 7 can do for him, and the important message it can send to the fandom.

ANOTHER UPDATE: 100 parts (and counting) deep into book 7 and yes, I can confirm now that Sebek's internalized racism is being confronted and he's being forced to reconcile with those difficult feelings. I may make a follow-up post on this topic.

It’s so, so easy to dismiss Sebek as a hypocrite (which, don’t get me wrong, he definitely is), but there is likely so much more nuance to it than just “he hates on humans even though he is half human himself” or just “he’s a racist and that’s all there is to him”.

Obviously, racism is wrong and should be condemned, but I don’t believe simply depicting a character as racist is necessarily promoting racism. As long as media is not outright glorifying it, racism can be used as a literary device to deliver an important message (which is, more often than not, an anti-racism one) to the audience.

It’s made pretty clear that no one takes Sebek seriously when he shouts about humans or acts hateful toward them. Other characters consistently either make fun of Sebek for acting so outrageously, or they outright call him out for his discrimination.

To me, this all reads as very blatantly and purposefully setting Sebek’s racist beliefs up to be shattered and proven wrong later. He’s representative of a social problem, and I hope that TWST will use Sebek to promote a positive message when his time in the spotlight comes around.

What message might that be?

To learn to love and accept yourself, and where you come from, in its entirety.

426 notes · View notes

polyamorousmood · 9 months

Note

can you be a teenager and be polyamorous?

this sounds like a silly question, but can i explain real quick-

so i’m, ofc, a teenager, and i’ve never actually been in any kind of romantic relationship before, or even kissed anyone - not that i don’t want to, my parents are just homophobic - and idk, i think i’m polyam, but… like, am i allowed to be, if i’m a teenager? i’m ace and i already know i don’t want any kind of sexual relationship w/ anyone, and i know that polyamory is often only seen as a sexual thing by a lot of the general public, so maybe that’s why i’ve seen so much stuff online saying that kids can’t be polyam as it’s inherently sexual (i don’t think it always is), or the classic ‘they’re too young to know’ but i just feel like they’re right sometimes, like, i haven’t had the experience and years and stuff that adults have had, and that makes me feel like an idiot for even wanting anything to do w/ this part of the community.

except… it’s like. when i think of being older and married or in a relationship, i always think of it being someone who’s not a man (i’m a nonbinary lesbian), but like, i also think of it as more than one person? like. i’d be happy w/ two wives i think. or a partner who has a partner, that i’m not dating, esp since i’m ace and not of course everyone else is and everyone has different needs wants in a relationship. and while these are obviously just thoughts, i’ve also put. like. a lot of thought into it, and the traditional relationship structure (monogamous man/woman) doesn’t really seem like something that work for me. like also bc i’m aro and i could have a qpr but i wouldn’t mind if it was w/ more than one person or if my partner had like a date or other qpr partner or like… you get the gist. not even ‘wouldn’t mind’ i think it’d be neat, like the traditional relationship structure just never felt like it was right for me.

idk, i’m sorry, this ask is so incoherent. i just. wanted to know if i could be teenage and polyam, or if there’s something wrong w/ me and my thinking for wanting to be so, like i honestly don’t know if there is, and it’s not great sometimes, wanting to use a label for yourself in your head and not knowing if you… can

TL;DR (and it will be long): you can be whatever you feel, at any stage of life, forever. So, yeah, it could be other things, but if that's how your feeling, it doesn't really matter if you change your mind later. You can be it now.

So here's the thing: you do have a lot going on. All teenagers do, and as much as adults condescend to teenagers about it, the only way to figure it out for you personally is for you --personally-- to stumble through it. And you're clearly a bit overwhelmed. That's chill and normal. As stressful as it is, try not to stress it; these are all things that will be okay once the dust has settled.

When I was a teen, I didn't want to touch anyone. I thought I was ace. I barely even wanted a romantic relationship. Now I want several high-sex romantic relationships. I changed in that. I haven't changed in other ways, such as not wanting kids. Everyone told me I'd want them eventually, and here I am as an established adult, happily childless.

If you think you're poly now, you're allowed to call yourself poly! If you wanna say you're "questioning poly" or "interested in exploring" poly that's fine, too, in the same way bi people sometimes go "I'm mean I'm pretty sure I'm bi because my gender people SO HOT but some days I'm not feeling it and I've never actually had gay sex soooo for now I'm just going to call myself bicurious". And a lot of people will probably tell you you're too young to know, but that's not going to change how you feel. Maybe you'll grow in a different direction. Maybe you'll have a 10 year headstart on happiness that everyone on poly forums wishes they had. Both of those things sound fine to me. Those are both 👌👍✅ outcomes.

You can also want all those things and not consider yourself poly. Maybe you're just meant to join a commune 🤷

The point of labels is for you to be able to describe your experience, not to define you. If you think "poly" is an adequate word to describe the experience of "ace but wanting to build my life with multiple close women" then go for it! You could also describe yourself as other things to other people. Like, if you're in a very queer environment like Tumblr, you might feel comfortable saying "I wanna be in a poly lesbian QPR!" but to conservative adults you might just stick to "I'm not looking to get married too quick, its just going to be me and my best girl friends for awhile!" and to someone who's trying to understand but really isn't getting it you might choose to describe it as "I'm trying to found-family-trope my life. Like, we're not sexual, but we're everything for each other, you know?"

So I guess to wrap this up back to you initial question: "poly" isn't inherently sexual, and you can use it to describe anything you think it applies to, yourself especially. However, it may carry that connotation with others, so it might be a lot of trouble (up to you whether its worth that trouble) to identify yourself as that to those people. In your own head? do whatever the fuck you want lmao I'm not the thought police🚫🚓

Use them terms -- "poly" included -- when they suit you. Be that the current mood, the current conversation, the current stage in life, whatever.

#ask box is always open #I don't feel like I kept the thread here super well but you know what I'm getting at

13 notes · View notes

saetoru · 11 months

Note

hiiii i hope you know how much i love ghe way u write haitham !!! also sooo true haitham is definitely autistic!! (me too haitham me too) i think u get how haitham is actually a quite kind and selfless person despite people think hes arrogant, egoistical and such but like if u read some if his voicelines like the one where hes asked what concerns he has he says smth not about him but how people tend to hurt themself and like cmon would an egoistical person have that concern??? also he doesnt look down on anyone its just he knows how capable he is and like ughhhh i feel like ur writing is a breath of fresh air cause like some people make it seem like hes some arrogant dude BUT HES NOT HES JUST AUTISTIC GUYS like when people say they dont like him and its just traits that autistic people usually have…. anyway thank you for sharing ur writing i love going through ur haitham tag it makes my day

HELLO HI I LITERALLY READ THIS LIKE 3 TIMES AND MY SMILE GOT SOOOO BIG EACH TIME IM GONNA TRY NOT TO RAMBLE AS I ANSWER THIS

but omg yesyesyes i agree he’s got so much pointing towards him being autistic and ppl will bash so many things ab him and it makes me so sad but also i’m like … maybe u ppl just don’t like traits that tend to describe autistic ppl idk … BUT i read so many fics of him being autistic and i see kaveh having adhd a lot in fics where they’re written to be neurodivergent and i think the authors i’ve read from so far have done such a good job of writing them and yeah. u get it. he’s definitely got sensory issues i know this is so real and true in my heart

AND HE IS SOOOOOOO KIND. i think ppl gloss over the fact that al-haitham doesn’t look down at anyone so much like everything about this man is so disciplined. so disciplined. like someone of his intelligence in a nation like sumeru could do sooo much bad but he literally just wants to have simple life where he goes to work and goes right home HE JUST WANTS PEACE. and his voice lines IF PPL WOULD JUST READ THEM. like the one about when ppl read difficult and abstruse books and then he says “jk i don’t enjoy watching ppl struggle lol” AND YES. THE ONE WHERE HE BASICALLY WOES ABOUR HOW PPL MAKE THEIR LIVES MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT NEEDS TK BE. he’s so caring by nature and i feel like even he doesn’t even understand that to some extent like i think he sees himself as a practical guy who just wants everyone to have peace for the sake of practicality. BUT HE ALSO JUST. CARES. YOU KNOW ?????????? they way it’s just canon that he’s misunderstood by ppl at the akademiya and he just doesn’t bother to correct them bc he doesn’t care to. THROWS UP HES SOOOOOOOOOO LOVELY I WISH MORE PPL WOULD SEE IT. i cannot tell u how many fics i read and then have to close bc. they just. THEY MAKE HIM SO ARROGANT AND MEAN BUT ARROGANCE =/= CONFIDENCE. he’s aware of his capabilities okay :( he’s not some condescending know it all. im just rly picky ab the way he’s written fjsjdjf so then i’m like. ok. i gotta write the content i wanna see 😔

but omg i’m rly glad you read and like my haitham writing sometimes i get carried away and make it so like…self servicing w the way i write him and the dialogue and then i get embarrassed to post it skfjsjfn but i’m very excited u like it I AM KISSINF U ON THE MOUF and also i am kissing ur brain for understanding him

#asks!#i did indeed ramble but #HE MAKES ME LOSE MY COMPOSURE OK

8 notes · View notes

antipolin · 9 months

Note

OMG, this blog is soooo good. Thanks for starting it, but I am sorry to see some of the hate you are getting, it is really nasty.

I know to some it seems a little cowardly to comment to you anonymously, but I have previously been targeted for abuse by members of the Polin fandom for expressing an opinion on other platforms they didn't like.

But where to start? Okay, here are tree of my rants about Polin:

ZERO Chemistry, that is zilch, none, nada, however you want to say it, but Colin and Penelope have been so boring together a whole season of them is sure to cure insomnia. I mean I get that some think they wouldn't show chemistry yet, but you would expect to see some chemistry if they were really friends. In fact I think Penelope has a lot of chemistry with Eloise.

Penelope and her racism towards Kate. That really bothered me a lot to be honest, especially as the writers knew Penelope was going to season 3. Why would they have her using a blatant racist trope to describe Kate knowing that in the following season Kate and Penelope would become sisters in law? How is Kate meant to accept Penelope after that? How are the viewers supposed to accept Penelope becoming part of the family in which Kate is the most senior ranked woman after Penelope had been racist towards her? I feel that this is not talked about enough. And yes I get the Taming of the Shrew reference in that quote, but in the context of a white woman talking about a woman of colour makes it racist.

I liked Colin in season 1, but in season 2 I found him obnoxious and to be honest acting like some entitled rich kid, not too different to the entitled rich kids driving their super cars around London in the summer blocking the traffic and generally pissing off the locals.

Anon, it's more than okay! That's literally why I started this blog, for ya'll to have a safe space to talk openly about stuff like this and not feel like you have a target on your back for expressing your opinions! I'm glad I can provide that for you!

And I completely agree with your list! I have other reasons on top of yours but it's late where I am, and don't really want to write an essay about it on top of my reply to this ask. Lol.

Yes, Polin is VERY boring and has zero chemistry but also I kind of just glaze over in general with Colin is on screen b/c he has no personality and Luke Newton has the charisma of a wet mop.

Yes, Pen saying that about Kate has VERY racist implications. IDK if the writers realized that when they wrote it or not as I'm obviously not in the writers room but either way it's not a good look for Pen or the writers who wrote it. Talk about a bad look for both.

Colin is just.... IDK what the writers are doing with him b/c they have yet to give him anything interesting to do other than to get scammed every season. Like???? Where is the personality? Where is the arc other than him being a condescending asshole to everyone? His whole visit and conversation with Marina in S2 makes me cringe whenever I rewatch it. And his 'I will always look out for you Pen' conversation followed by him openly mocking the idea of courting to his friends literally hours later is so.... Not it.

Like why am I supposed to root for this couple to get together when they're both equally terrible people? It's just truly a bizarre writing choice for the writers.

#anon #asks #anti Polin #anti penelope featherington #anti colin bridgerton

3 notes · View notes

eisforeidolon · 1 year

Note

The dramatic add ons on that essay from OP about Jensen and Jared, I can't, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this level of stupidity and idk, belligerence, I think is the word? Claiming that oh, not only is the "supernatural magic" broken, but that Supernatural had also simultaneously during its run "drained the passion" out of them, and if it weren't for TB and Walker, they would've retired. I'm not going to pretend the last years of Supernatural were great. I mean, that's literally the reason it ended, because it was clear to them that it was no longer what it used to be, and if they didn't end it soon, it would get worse. But, I'm unsure of how that correlates to them wanting to retire from their careers? I've heard whisperings that Jared wanted to maybe take a step back or a break, I don't know if that's true that he said this because I haven't heard it myself, but I'm certain that Jensen never indicated he was looking to retire after Supernatural, he's as passionate about acting as he's ever been. Soooo..... where is this coming from? And on top of that, just being plain condescending and dismissive of their new projects? "I don’t think what they have been doing is good enough. They are more than what they are doing." said directly after "They could be cops, escaped fugitives, ghosts, anything."......... Both of them have played cops since Supernatural, Soldier Boy was a fugitive, Dean was a ghost in TW. So, in addition to how rude it is to dismiss the work they're doing, clearly the issue isn't the kind or quality of roles they're taking, it's that they're not doing it together. Though OP seems to have some specific resentment towards Jensen, he's the big bad evil, and Jarer is a victim, clearly in their eyes, neither Jensen nor Jared are good enough unless they're attached at the, well, everything, and only working with each other. That...... is just truly a mess that I don't understand. They're their own people, actors, with their own careers. They gave fifteen years to this show, them now wanting to explore other things isn't a crime, it's only natural 🤦🏻‍♀️

Yeah, the whole thing was just ... totally bizarre to me.

The retirement thing especially. Like, J2 explicitly said they were sick of doing that many hours for that many episodes per season a few times. They also said they were wanting to end it before it completely ran out of gas/wore out its welcome/etc. and come back later in a different format afresh. But even when Jared was making noises about semi-retiring post-SPN (I recall at least one convention where he openly said something to that effect)? He made it clear he was still wanting to do stuff behind the camera and would likely appear in friends' projects and whatever might catch his fancy. Jensen, to my recollection, didn't say anything about stepping back from acting, just not wanting to continue in a co-lead role on a non-ensemble show with 20+ episodes per season. They weren't burnt out on acting so much as burnt out on the kind of schedules they had to keep as the only central characters in every episode of a weekly show that filmed in a different country from where their families live.

Like, okay, if you want to only be interested in Jared and Jensen as J2 together, that's a choice, I guess? But they don't owe you to continue only doing projects together because that's what you, random fan #14268331, want.

#askboxery #anonymous #j2 prequel drama

6 notes · View notes

vndooms · 1 year

Note

Honest thoughts on Lonnie?

genuinely i think that lonnie is one of the best characters in descendants, with some of the most potential to be expanded upon. i think she's really cool w how she gives the vks the benefit of the doubt straight from the beginning just out of the genuine goodness of her heart, smth really only ben does otherwise, but she also isn't condescending like ben can kind of be initially, like she doesn't really seem to think there's anything wrong with the vks. the other characters who are like vk allies from the start (ben and doug) have a vested interest in bettering them (which isn't unfounded lol), but lonnie seems to just enjoy them as people rather than focusing on this idea that her peers are broken just bc they were raised under different circumstances. she really passes no judgement. and although its a moment of naivety, i like how she assumed that their parents were normal with the "even villains love their kids" line. it reflects how she doesn't see them as different. idk how i feel about the post-family day situation. i think she should have stuck up for them, she seemed strong enough, but i guess she just didn't really feel close enough to them to do so? not while doug and jane, who were actually close to them, weren't. as well, her, doug and jane are all non-royals so i always presumed there is a social dynamic there where they are at the bottom of the totem pole at this school full of royals, that at this point lonnie hasn't fully challenged (which we know since she doesnt try to get on the roar team until the next year), so ig she just isn't there yet in her development.

and in d2, i just think she slays :) i like her plotline and how it supports and works with jay's arc (i love jay's arc, so subtle but effects for those who get it iykwim). a good, simple lesson, and a nice expansion of her character to see her fill this role. and like i said, it shows development from d1 where she went with the flow of the social dynamic put onto her as non-royal girl, and here she challenges them, encouraging jay to do the same, which is soooo important. i wish she had been in d3, but idk what she really would have done? there's a lot in d3 that i would change before that, so i guess it's not the worst part. i'd really have loved to see her dressed up for jane's party.

anyway, yea. i just think shes neat :) a good character, really fun.

3 notes · View notes

fagofgod · 4 months

Text

so weird to me that people will say they dont understand x identity or whatever and expect it to just be like. the end of the conversation. or like they expect it to go unchallenged. like. ugh. idk how to say this. why do they seem offended when you try to explain it to them. like. i had a point.

why do people say they dont understand something and just expect it to be accepted. like, no, actually! i don't think its helpful or harmless to just go on not understanding "but still supporting". like. ugh. understanding something isnt relating to it, necessarily. i understand that, for example, bi people are into men and women even if i dont relate to it. bc... what do you mean if you say, for example, that you don't "understand" people not feeling romantic attraction bc you're a deeply romantic person. what does that MEAN. bc to me. PERSONALLY. it almost always feels like the people saying this don't really view the identity as.... properly real. i guess. it's like they're saying 'oh you can be that way you one but that's soooo wild i could NEVER do that you're WEIRD. but that's okay hehe'. it feels condescending. sort of. ughhhhhhh. do you get. what i'm trying. to say

#i think ive been hit with curses to never be able to say the things i want to say coherently. whatever. do you get it. do you. do you get it #oh. also. this was written abt lovelessness or aromanticsm in my mind. but it applies for other stuff also.#like. straight girl 'allies' who are like oh haha i dont get how you could NOT be into men but u do u! like. why would you say that to me

0 notes

yestrday · 2 years

Note

On the opposite end of the spectrum, may I suggest the upperclassmen with an immature younger sibling/imouto type MC? Just a reckless, naïve, wild card of a person who s o m e h o w managed to attract a whole group of unhinged admirers. Idk, I just think it would be funny.

you might like : yan! first years w/ oneesan-esque darling , yan! third years hcs

( collars, perverted behavior, manipulation )

he's already got the big brother vibe going on. you two are already a match made in heaven. childe adores you, spoiling you at every given time and always going along with your whims. one of his favorite things to do is to cook you food, since you usually forget to bring your own lunch. what a ditz... but at least he gets the chance to see you stuff your face with his food! he laughs in delight and brushes away stray crumbs as you exclaim through mouthfuls of food at how good his cooking is. seeing you happy because of him honestly makes his day!

however... that naive nature of yours might get you into trouble, y’know~? your wide, innocent eyes that look at him with sooo much trust, damn. you’re literally asking him to take advantage of you! from time to time he’ll intoxicate you with his sweet words, reeling you in with words that bait your childish curiousity and taking away the others’ time with you. accident after accident follows you and you’re both frightened and confused without even realizing the obvious shadow of the man trailing behind you.

it’s so, so fun, messing with you like this. but he can’t help it! the terrified expression that takes over your usually ditzy features is soooo fun to look at!

“tsk, tsk,” childe clicks his tongue disapprovingly. his large hands clasp themselves on your shoulders as he presses his chest on your back. you’re forced to face the mess you— you swear you didn’t do any of this!— caused.

his breath tickles your ear as he murmurs, “look. look at alll this. i’m the one who has to clean up after you, y’know?” from the corner of your eye, childe’s deep blue eye glints almost dangerously. “surely you still have some conscience left to pay back your loving senior?”

zhongli tells him not to tease you too much, but it’s so fun to see you curl into his touch and nod frantically, fully under his control.

you know, you’re gonna kill diluc one of these days. those reckless, foolish actions of yours has him snapping his neck to and fro as he tries to keep you away from danger. if childe and itto are the ones that pull you into danger, diluc is wholeheartedly trying to stop you. he’s always, always warning you, and yet being the hardheaded thing you are, you never seem to heed his words. he could really just save himself the headache and leave you alone, but he’s naturally drawn to you. he’s pressing down your clothes crinkled from playing, fixing your tie and fixing your hair. anything you ask he will give.

so please, listen to him just once, will you? do you really not value his words that much? because if you had an ounce of respect for him you’d steady yourself and stop getting yourself into these dangerous situations! he’s already had plans to lock you away, and the more you prove how irresponsible you are with handling yourself, the closer you are to reaching his bad ending. just... give him some sort of reassurance of your safety, and he’ll probably stay put. probably.

“[your name]. i’m begging you.” the thought of the diluc begging is almost impossible, but here you are now. “if you have any— any! — self-respect, you’d stop your foolishness and stay still.”

confusion etches itself onto your face. you don’t know what brought this on. you were only receiving treatment in the clinic after a pretty nasty fall down the stairs before he bursts into the room and his frantic eyes fall on the dark bruise blossoming across the side of your torso.

“i–i’m not sure what’s going— ah!” diluc’s gloved hands dig onto the wounded part. “that– that hurt!”

“... did it now?” his voice is so condescending, as if mocking you you flinch when his dark eyes meet yours. you gulp. “then you better steady yourself. or i’ll jus have to tie you down myself.”

itto loves that energy you have going on! he plays with you a lot, pulling you into extreme adventures and situations, much to the chagrin of the other harem members. he puts you on his shoulders to reach the beetle on the highest branch, or carry you away as soon as the authorities are coming. most times you get into trouble with itto, although the teachers and students are in silent agreement that he’s just a bad influence on you. he’d boisterously laugh and pull you in by the side, lovingly ruffling your hair and smugly announcing that you just really love to be around him. you don’t deny it because really, where’s the lie?

more often than not, violent images of you flash behind his eyes and he’s overcome with guilt. he knows he shouldn’t be thinking such things, not when you smile at him so brightly and look at him with such adoring eyes. and yet, the more primal side of him feeds him oh-so-tempting images of his fangs sinking down into the soft of your neck, or your dumb and dazed look as he sits you on his lap and forces you to give up your everything to him. ah, fuck. now he’s drooling.

“itto, itto! look—!”

he can hear you calling his name, feel you tugging on his sleeves as you point to an shiny new beetle you’ve never seen before. but right now the top buttons of your uniform are undone due to all the playing, revealing the smooth expanse of your upper chest. unknowingly, a pierced tongue swipes across his lower lip and he gulps.

your hand can barely encase his palm, and he wonders if it’d break too easily as he hoists you up for his own taking. perverted fantasies slowly overtake him as he imagines unbuttoning the rest of the uniform and digging into your flesh. he wonders if your blood would be metallic and tangy, wonders if your childish naivety turns into horrified realization.

he squeezes your palm tightly (oh, how small it was) and fakes a stiff smile. he shouldn’t be thinking like this. you don’t deserve it. but he wonders if he deserves all this painful torture as he holds himself back just for you.

whenever he’s around you, kaeya’s sure that he won’t be easily bored. you’re brimming with entertainment, always dragging him around as you go about your day with wide-eyed curiosity. kaeya naturally tags along, maybe even act as the devil on your shoulder and encourage you. he’s just really happy that someone wants to be around him for so long and not look at him with some degree of wariness like the others do. he can chalk that aspect of yours to foolish trust, but kaeya’s honestly glad that you’re a wee bit stupid. with you, loneliness is barely a thing.

although, that makes his times alone even harder to bear compared to the time when he hadn’t met you. there’s nothing more he wants to do than see you run back to him with that childish grin and adoring eyes. and what better way than make you rely on him? a few strings to pull here and there, keep you on your toes for just a bit (although paranoia is a more fitting term), and sure some people might end up getting hurt in the crossfire. and yeah, maybe you’ll end up feeling the guilt for the rest of your life. but no one is dead! and plus, seeing you cling to him as you sob brokenly gives him a twisted sense of satisfaction.

kaeya’s dark hands know how to work their magic, soothing your back as they rack from hiccups and sobs and bringing your head closer to his warm chest. “poor thing,” he murmurs to you, gently lifting your head to see your teary-eyed face. as much as kaeya loves your carefree spirit, something about you being as broken as him leaves him wanting for more.

“perhaps you should’ve listened to diluc... your reckless nature really is a bit troublesome, you know?” you’re surprised that he’d actually agree with diluc, but you can’t bring yourself to disagree.

“i– i’m sorry,” you sob. “i didn’t know better! i shouldn’t have gone there!”

“you shouldn’t,” kaeya affirms, kissing the space between your brows and wiping your wet eyes. “rely on me a little more, alright? don’t go anywhere by yourself... don’t ever leave my side.”

in the midst of your fear-numbed thoughts, you absentmindedly nod a deadly promise.

another free-spirited guy, venti is another one who indulges you. noticeably, he’s far gentler than the others and actively tries to keep you out of harm’s way, though not very obvious. after all, you’re his muse, and he wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you! most days he invites you to his jam sessions, singing happy songs together without a care in the world. other days he’d sneak a bottle of wine and take advantage of your curiousity to prod you into drinking some, much to zhongli’s contempt. he often coaxes you into pulling harmless yet elaborate pranks on the other members and if one of them should fall victim, if they’d look behind them they could hear the mischievous cackles of you two as the ends of your uniforms scamper out of view.

yet another one who likes to take advantage of your foolish trust, but it’s nothing too harmful (or at least, not compared to the others). venti invites himself into your home and you let him, unsuspecting of the things he does when you’re out of sight. there’s just sooo much inspiration to be had here! when he gets home, still drunk off your scent, he frantically flips to a fresh page of his lyric book and jots down incomprehensible lyrics of your beautiful gait. zhongli takes a peek the next day, and distaste immediately overtakes him as he reads over the lecherous lines.

“... he’s sooo mean!” venti rants to you one day, petting your hair as you lay down on his lap. “he says that my lyrics are too filthy! do you agree with him, [your name]?”

you actually don’t know what his lyrics are about. you haven’t seen his lyric book ever since zhongli had a stern talk to you about it. but why would his lyrics be dirty? the venti you know is absolutely capable and wise, and even one of the best students in the music program! you grin and nod, absolutely unaware of the situation. “i think your lyrics are the best, ven”

he squeals and nuzzles your nose with his. “of course, you do!” he coos. “my darling [your name]... ♡ gosh, how are you still adorable after all this time!”

he tickles and kisses you all over your face, eliciting delighted giggles from you. you don’t even notice the hand he’s slipped underneath your shirt, perversely groping and stroking the undefiled skin underneath.

zhongli finds your naiveness refreshing and it gives him a sense of satisfaction to be the one to teach you all that you need to know. to be honest, if it were any other person he’d find them a brat (coughhutaocough), but there’s something... different about you. zhongli also loves to spoil you, likes seeing your eyes sparkle as he covers you with jewelry you’d never dream of adorning. you often come to him for more of his stories and he’ll happily make space in the tea club for you. out of all your seniors, you hold his opinion in the highest regard, something that the others find absolutely annoying.

still, your recklessness can bring about unneccessary trouble, making zhongli feel that he needs to put you on a tighter leash. you’re very hyperactive, he says, and he feels the need to drill some sort of elegance and style into you. this is, after all, an elite school. some actions of yours just won’t be tolerated. what you think is his guidance is to him training a dog to stay still.

“umm... zhongli... do i really need a leash..?” you know it’s impudent of you to question his actions, but the leather has you in a chokehold, and sitting on your knees as he looks down at you elicits feelings that you were incapable of identifying.

the crueler part of him is tempted to call you an idiot. here you are, seated so submissively for him, so vulnerable, and you have no clue about what’s going on. he could do all sort of things to you and yet you’d still believe he was doing his job as a good senior.

but if you insist, he’ll play the part of a benevolent mentor. he sighs and crouches down to your leve. “this is training, [your name]. once you graduate, you will be in a place where that personality of yours will be shunned.”

his eyes glow as an amused smile drapes over his lips. “now behave or else.”

2K notes · View notes

pourcap · 2 years

Text

thoughts: cp chapter 6

'Your master seems kind,’ said Erasmus. ????????

damen is so nice :( also i love his interpretation of justice; i feel like he'd be a great king

'Were you?’ said Damen, with some interest. (...) He could hear the approval saturating his own voice. He felt it shift the dynamic between them. He might as well have said, Good boy. aaaand he's horny again

oh. i feel so bad for erasmus and the other slaves. vere is brutal.

why does the regent even have slaves if he doesn't take any of them to bed?? like, he could just let them be free and save them from harm if he has no use for them. also, it's kind of hypocritical that he's so concerned about laurent's behavior towards damen when he's allowing his people to abuse his slaves as well.

'You talk like a master. But you are a slave, like I am.' i feel like damen should be a bit more careful lol

ugh govart.

i hate everyone in vere :)

He wanted to face Kastor, his brother, and ask him, man to man, why he had done what he had done. damen :( even after kastor's betrayal, he's still not resentful enough to not want to talk to his brother :(

Damen was not fit for that company. Damen was not fit to eat the leavings from the table. Radel, having made his point at satisfactory length, left. i still hate radel.

ohhh laurent is back

He set his jaw as Laurent slowly paced around him, as though simply interested in viewing him from all angles. Laurent stepped mincingly over the chain that lay slack on the ground, completing his tour. laurent is soooo condescending

‘Obedience,’ said Damen. ohhhh smart

'One of the handlers took a heated iron from the fire to test whether the slave would obey an order to stay silent while he used it.' what is wrong with people in vere.

There was a long silence. Laurent’s expression had changed. (...) as though he had encountered something that did not make sense. 'You would really sacrifice your pride over the fate of a handful of slaves?’ *gasp* damen is not dim-witted barbaric akielon but actually a compassionate, reasonable human being??

'Whereas pure Akielos is free of treachery? The heir dies on the same night as the King and it is merely coincidence that smiles on Kastor?’ said Laurent, silkily. well. he has a point there.

nooooo

govart ruins everything.

i still don't understand why laurent hates his uncle so much

like, for the most part, his uncle seems sensible?? there are things i don't understand (like what i said above) but compared to laurent, he seems fine?? at least not as prone to violence even though he, as laurent's uncle, also lost family to the war with akielos. idk.

as usual, i am confused :')

#captive prince #captiveprince #capri #laurent #laurent of vere #damen #damen of akielos #damianos of akielos #damianos

126 notes · View notes

hongsasum · 2 years

Note

I am BEGGING you for a list of your favorite Alastor fic recs. I'm so tired of people watering him down/making him less mean or evil, and I just read 'A Fun Little Party Game' per your recommendation and it was soooo good.

...Help a gal pal out?

I'm being starved of quality content!

Hi! So my taste in fics may be different from yours, but

None of these have clearly stated Alastor ships

Most of them are Alastor being mean and/or laid back and/or scary. Or just funny and stupid. So take your pick I guess? 😭

Either way, all of them are well-written and the authors are all super talented

So! Here are my recommendations (might add more if I end up finding more):

HH_BlueDynamite

Kismet

A well-written backstory of how Husk met Alastor and Niffty. I like stories that don’t diverge too much from canon and this seemed plausible despite the idea being relatively original!

Stay Tuned (series)

A fun, lighthearted series of small episodes of the hotel gang, I guess? Alastor’s like, not a jerk but also not really soft so it was fun. Here are some of my favorites because there are a lot of works in this series:

Lost and Found

Doggonit

Crimson Breath

Davy Jones’ Locker

A Bloody Retribution (series)

Alastor suffers a lot. He does get a bit soft and human in the last work of the series, but hey, it’s still a good series. This one is pretty dark, just as a warning. A lot of blood and sad and panic attacks and hurt

///

Lightbringer34

Sinner’s Solace

Alastor gets a bit too nosy and pays for it. Tbh I was kinda confused the entire time while reading this one, but it was beautifully written (despite my dumb brain getting a bit lost). AND usually smug Alastor gets smacked around a bit by Charlie herself, what could be better?

///

DK_Eldritch

Tales from Hell: Hazbin Hotel (series)

Oh, he’s a TOTAL jerk in all of these. Especially the last two or three. Most of the works aren’t Alastor-centric but you’re gonna love it. My favorite is the cannibal one because, obviously, it has the most Alastor in it

///

KDblack

they say someone killed the radio star (series)

He’s not really mean in these but I’m always interested in how fics handle Alastor vs. Lucifer so these were really fun to read for me. Also in this series Angel dressed up as the Radio Demon for one of his porn films and Al’s not exactly happy about it

///

ckret2

You've Got a Face for Radio

Alastor and understanding asexuality. Simple enough, well thought out and well written

Alastor Week (series)

All of them good (idk, this author just has a ton of fun and interesting ideas about Alastor in general)

Vintage Electronics

I usually don’t like fics where Alastor’s “persuaded” into doing sexual(?) things because I feel like most of them are lazily done, but this one is lowkey really well written and just super funny. No regrets

A Fun Little Party Game (and some other ones in the Alastor Week 2021 series)

I know you said you read this one already, but I needed to plug it again because the thought of friendless Alastor drinking away his Halloween night alone while shitting on Charlie for being a “condescending bitch” sends me 💀

oh also the other works in the same series are good too. Extra jerk factor in the third and fourth parts

///

There are also fics I’ve read with Alastor ships that were really good, like The Libraryverse by Descendree, Smiling Man by MuseValentine and Love Lies Bleeding by frumpy_furby ((they’re all Charlastor because it was the first ship I explored before deciding against looking up more :P)) but I kept the list to ones without any ships involving Alastor. But if you don’t mind shipping, Alastor in Smiling Man is just a terrible guy if you’re looking for that

#tbh just go through the alastor being a jerk tag #and when u find a good fic click on the authors name and see if they’ve written other similar things lmao #hazbin hotel #alastor #fic recs #ffiveseasons #asks

29 notes · View notes

volaile · 2 years

Note

trucy :)

ok so i cant just do this one without going into detail.

the everyones wrong about them but me is half filled because obvs theres some ppl out there that make just. the most AUGh/sobbing screaming throwing up/galaxy brained trucy content and i owe these ppl my life. but theres also a lot ppl out there that just make her phoenixs little kid daughter who’s only facet beyond this is being a magician, so 🤨 and as a throw-in my biggest pet peeve in trucy fanon is when people age her way down in art so she looks like a toddler like…. unless ur drawing her as a toddler, why are u doing that. shes eight at her youngest in canon. eight year olds are not as babyish as ppl seem to think they are and idk it just feels off to me. a little bit condescending towards her BUT i dont let myself get too 🤬 over it bc yknow her actual baby mode sprites ARE very baby mode. she looks v young (but she doesnt come across v young soooo two sides of a coin etc etc)ANYWAYS

wasted potential is also half-filled purely bc aa5 and aa6 did shit all with all the wonderful characterisation aa4 set up for her. for reals ill never not be So Mad at how flat aa5/6 made her good god !!!!!!!!

aaaaand works better as a dynamic is half-filled not because i dont think trucys a good standalone character (she is but again aa5 and aa6 fumbled the bag entirely on fleshing her out as such) but purely because i wanted to acknowledge how much i love her in her dad-daughter duo w phoenix and her lawyer-magician weird sibling duo w apollo hehe.

#sorry for the paragraphs. couldnt help myself #THANKS AGAIN PERS love u #trucy #asks

6 notes · View notes

ectogeo-art · 3 years

Note

omg i want to hear about romulan embassy siskarak

WIP ask meme

Omg, yes, thank you for asking, I’m so excited about this one!!!! :D The fic idea appeared to me fully formed as soon as I saw this post by @the-last-dillards about how in a scene cut from “The Wire”, Sisko mentions that he and Curzon were at an embassy on Romulus when Sisko was about Julian's age, and dillards speculated that it would be funny if Sisko and Curzon happened to be there at the same time as Garak was on Romulus posing as a gardener. Most everyone else who saw that post was like "lmao Curzon/Garak <3" and while that is extremely funny too, the Sisko/Garak implications are soooo much more interesting to me personally.

I think Sisko would be an interesting parallel-but-not-quite to Julian. I feel like young Sisko would be similarly bright and passionate and idealistic, which we KNOW is a type Garak is attracted to, but unlike Julian, Sisko would NOT put up with Garak’s bullshit mindgames, he would NOT find Garak inherently charming.

And then there’s Garak, still young, on top of his game, feeling confident and powerful and indestructible (but ultimately just Tain’s pawn... he’s been indoctrinated to love Cardassia unconditionally and hasn’t really had that challenged in any way yet).

They would both find each other extremely grating. Sisko embodies everything Garak hates about the Federation, so Garak would want to take him down a peg, make him sink to Garak’s level. Sisko would be infuriated by Garak’s duplicitous and condescending nature, but maybe Garak also keeps saying things that are juuuust provocative enough that Sisko can’t seem to help arguing back against his points (and Sisko really doesn’t get how that’s somehow turning both of them on...).

So that’s the gist why I’m obsessed with the potential for this pairing during pre-canon in general. Now onto the fic itself! Juuuust in case I never get around to actually writing this, here’s my detailed plan for the romulan embassy siskarak fic:

Sisko and Curzon are on assignment at the Federation embassy on Romulus. The Federation embassy is holding an open house next week. Sisko offers to help cook the food for the event, because he has an idea to incorporate ingredients from other cultures into his jambalaya recipe to Symbolize how cultural exchange can lead to amazing new technological advances and/or art and/or political alliances (or idk, whatever overwrought metaphor an excited young Sisko decides is galaxy brain levels of diplomacy). Curzon's just like “hell yeah, sounds great, kid! go for it!”

So Ensign Sisko (or whatever his rank is at that point idk) asks around at the other embassies nearby for ingredients native to their homeworlds. They give him some recommendations, but he’d have to replicate or import the ingredients. But then he gets to the Cardassian embassy and they have this beeeeautiful garden, overflowing with native Cardassian produce. Sisko asks the gardener there (Garak) if he can possibly use some of the vegetables for his jambalaya of interplanetary diplomacy.

Garak is instantly annoyed by how performative and insipid Sisko’s project is... but Garak knows he has to play nice and hand over the vegetables. He also knows how much he doesn't want sisko rendering these vegetables he's been diligently tending into tasteless inedible garbage that an unrefined Federation or Romulan palate couldn’t possibly even appreciate... So he smiles politely, and offers to show him the proper way to cook it. Tonight. In Sisko’s quarters.

Garak internally justifies this unnecessary dinner date by deciding that it will be a good opportunity to scope out the inside of the Federation embassy. And so what if he’s also getting a little riled up thinking about all the delicious arguments he might have with this headstrong and attractive Starfleet officer? So what if he kind of wants to figure out what he has to say in order break Sisko’s composure? What he can say that would make Sisko, despite his self-satisfied demeanor of peace and acceptance and understanding, angrily slam Garak into the wall hard enough to trigger the pleasurable rush of the implant...?

Meanwhile back in sisko POV... Sisko gladly accepts, actually quite eager to learn more about cooking, and a little curious about this strange Cardassian gardener who seems a little bit interested in him. (He’s not annoyed by Garak yet, because all he’s seen is his mask, his poker face.) Curzon’s taught Sisko everything about diplomacy and how to be a Starfleet officer and how to be a person, and sisko looks up to him in a bit of an unhealthy way. Sisko knows that the easiest way to impress Curzon is to score with an alien. Sisko’s maybe a little curious to see if that’s what Garak is interested in, so that Sisko will have something to brag about with Curzon.

[sidenote: idk where Jennifer is in this timeline (but also the canon timeline of when Curzon and Sisko were off on adventures that included banging twin alien chicks and getting falling-down-drunk together seems inconsistent with the canon timeline of when Sisko and Jennifer met lolll)... anyway, maybe bennifer are on a break bc of the long-distance while he’s on Romulus, and/or bc she maybe doesn’t particularly like the influence Curzon has had on him and they very recently got in a fight about it.]

Okay, so now it’s that night in Sisko’s quarters. For now let’s just gloss right over the (presumably horny as hell) scene about the chopping and stewing and seasoning of the vegetables—during which the arguments (and resulting tensions) between them build and build, from little things like vegetable chopping techniques to the fundamental paradigms of their worldviews and senses of morality—and let’s fast forward directly into the middle of their fight about whether the federation sucks more than the cardassian empire: Garak out of nowhere just starts undoing his shirt while saying something inflammatory questioning the federation’s true commitment to cultural exchange... Garak basically implies that Sisko is a hypocrite who has been arguing for ideals he doesn’t believe in if he doesn’t want to bang Garak RIGHT NOW...

And then they bang, And it’s a mess, and they HATE each other, and it’s really hot. Or at least, that’s the idea. ( @delicatetrashstranger volunteered to help write the E-rated part, for which I am very grateful, lol.) In the end, the weird space jambalaya burns while they are going at it, and everything is ruined and smells terrible, and Sisko doesn’t even WANT to brag about this one to Curzon, because he is not proud of how he let Garak get under his skin. Garak maybe experiences A Consequence of some kind that makes him realize he can’t recklessly throw himself at Federation hotties (like... maybe something Sisko says makes him question a Truth he was certain of, or maybe this fling has jeopardized his assassination plans somehow, or maybe there is a close call where he almost reveals something personal about himself, or almost accidentally leaves behind his underwear, which is where he keeps some of his sci fi Spy Gadgets, lol idk).

The end!

Hope you’ve enjoyed this summary of my fic... I hope I actually write it one day XD (If anyone feels inspired by any aspect of this and wants to run with it, PLEASE DO! Also, if, like me, you desperately Need this fic to exist, feel free to let me know that you’re excited about it! My brain is all garashir all the time, so any WIP that’s not garashir sometimes needs to be helped along by external motivation lol.)

#siskarak #my fic #wip ask meme #ask game

38 notes · View notes

authenticcadence18 · 3 years

Note

For the sending you a character thing could you maybe do Candace Flynn please? :)

Hi anon! And of COURSE!!

Favorite thing about them: I love how relatable she is! Candace being overwhelmed with life and feeling stuck/discouraged and frustrated is just, a big ‘ol mood, especially as I’ve gotten older. “The Universe is Against Me” is very therapeutic to sing for those reasons! I also love the moments when she is genuinely a kind older sister, like in “Dude We’re Getting the Band Back Together” or the end of “Summer Belongs To You.” I also love her friendship with Isabella (especially in the later seasons), it’s just really sweet! Candace helping Isabella out with her crush on Phineas (or just reacting to it in a deadpan way) is so so soooo so great! (Basically big sister Candace. Yes.) Candace is also just, SO FUNNY. Both with her dialogue and physical comedy. She’s a great character. (On a personal note, I also relate to her struggle with not wanting to drive right away! I was the same way, and thinking about Candace made me feel better about my own struggles!) Also her SINGING. YES. I love Ashley Tisdale. ...Ok, now that I’ve said lots of nice things about Candace...onto the next question😅

least favorite thing about them: sometimes Candace is just, very unkind. Like, I KNOW she has her own struggles and I’d never want to invalidate those.....but she is just so MEAN to Phineas and Ferb sometimes for no real reason (particularly in earlier episodes). Like, in the Christmas special for instance, she continuously laughs off Phineas and Ferb’s desire to write letters to Santa (but then USES this idea in a scheme to figure out what gift Jeremy wants, so it’s hypocritical on her part) (EDIT: i wouldn’t change the “letters to Santa??” bit, btw, it’s pretty funny!! but it illustrates my point) and THEN puts the thought in Phineas’s head that he might be the reason all of Danville was deemed naughty, which DEVASTATES him. I think the saddest part is that, 95% of the time, Phineas and Ferb are nothing but kind to her. It makes her occasional spitefulness towards them seem so JARRING. (And again I KNOW she struggles with her own issues and feeling inferior, CATU especially made that apparent, and I get it! But that doesn’t make it okay for her to be mean to her brothers, you know?). Also scenes where she says something nice to Jeremy and then rude to her brothers...idk, it just rubs me the wrong way. (I also dislike it STRONGLY when she is condescending to Isabella. I think this only happens, like, twice...but Isabella is my fave so I’ll never forget, LOL)

Favorite line: oh MAN how do I CHOOSE??? She’s got so many iconic lines. Maybeeee: “It’s SO not fair! I mean why am I still on sock detail when Gladys from accounting got promoted to commander and she doesn’t even know hold to hold a blaster!!! No I mean, really, she failed that part of the exam three times, she held it backwards AND upside down but she’s a second cousin to some mid-level darth and so SHE gets the promotion?? What about ME??? If they would just open their eyes, they’d see that I’ve got everything it takes, I COULD BE THE STORMIEST STORM TROOPER EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!” Oh i also like (in reference to lumpy tables) “it’s the new hip-thing, it’s so European!!!” And also “Though I’ve often thought of you as just a nuisance and a bother, today I can’t imagine havin’ better little brothers!”

BrOTP: Candace and Stacy, 100%!! I love them and their friendship SO much, it really feels genuine (especially as their characters develop more). Their subplot in “Canderemy” is one of my favorite Candace plot lines in the show, it’s so funny and so sweet at the end (and a welcome distraction from a certain OTHER subplot in that episode.....yes I’m still mad about the ending🙃)

OTP: CANDEREMY! I’ll be honest, when I was younger, Canderemy kind of annoyed me because Phinabella was my fave and I always got mad when Candace had better luck with love than Isabella (because Candace was mean and Isabella wasn’t and I identified with Isabella and like, I’m just trying to give y’all a picture of younger me😂). But now that Phinabella is canon and I’ve gotten older, I really, REALLY appreciate Candace and Jeremy. Candace doesn’t have to act a certain way for Jeremy to like her: he likes her just the way she is and actively DISCOURAGES her from changing her identity just to appeal to him more. That’s so refreshing and wonderful to see in media aimed at kids/teens. I love that, for the majority of the show, they’re either “talking” or in a relationship and it’s just, a healthy relationship! No multi-episode arcs about them breaking up, no love triangles, no petty arguments (sometimes the show leans into these tropes for an episode, but that’s it. And it’s always resolved). They genuinely care about one another, and I think it’s really sweet. (Plus a Canderemy wedding is RIFE with possibility for pre-relationship Phinabella moments👀)

nOTP: I don’t have any specific nOTPS for Candace, so I’ll just say I’m fine with any ship between her and someone her age (that she isn’t related to, obviously. AND THAT GOES FOR ALL MY SHIPS. I don’t want to say that on every one of these character posts so like, just know. That is where i stand.)

Random headcanon: Candace and Jeremy adopted Fred. I just think it’s a sweet headcanon 🥺. Alsooooo ok this doesn’t specifically revolve around Candace, but when she and Jeremy got married, Isabella and Phineas were both a part of the wedding party and Candace made SURE they were paired together to walk down the isle💕. And Candace continues collecting Ducky Momo memerobilia well into adulthood!

Unpopular opinion: Candace isn’t a terrible, irredeemable character.....but she’s not a purely amazing character who can do no wrong either. I feel like some fans either despise her fully or love everything about her. I’m in the middle. I see her as a flawed character who was written by numerous people and thus is somewhat inconsistent in her characterization. I like it when she is characterized as kindhearted but easily overwhelmed and longing for validation, so that is how I choose to portray her in my own writing/headcanons.

Song I associate with them: look Candace sings so many FANTASTIC songs in the show that I can’t associate her with any other music. Like I guess Ashley Tisdale’s “Kiss the Girl” because there’s fics of her singing that to Phineas and Isabella and I think that’s adorable? (I know I wrote one of those waaaaaaay back in the day, LOL). But in general, every Candace song is great. “The Universe is Against Me” ESPECIALLY.

favorite picture of them: you know what Y’ALL GET FOUR PICTURES BECAUSE BIG SISTER CANDACE IS THE BEST OK

Thank you so much, anon! As you can see, I’ve got quite a few thoughts on Candace😅. At the end of the day, I think she’s a great character and I relate to her a lot! I had a ton of fun writing all these answers out.

This is the last ask I’m going to answer tonight, but I’m looking forward to answering more tomorrow!!!! 😁

#cadence rambles #Candace Flynn #(I KNOW i say some salty things about her BUT I SAY A LOT OF NICE STUFF TOO. so i think it’s ok to put this in the main tag)#omg i have an ask!!#anon #ask game #character asks #phineas and ferb #long post

24 notes · View notes