I posted this awhile ago but never properly... this is my VtM OC drawn by an artist for free, u/KayimSedar on reddit. Original post here.
Now that I’m a lil less shy lemme explain him: Mark Vela (was? is?) a Roman History professor who was turned by a Tremere in late 1999 Detroit. His then-boyfriend-now-ghoul-ex spied on him in preparation for his turning - lots of drama there. My poor boy (nor I out of character) knew trying to heal someone with vitae was enough to ghoul them :/ Whoopsie.
He’s basically Just Some Guy who got turned because his sire needed an unassuming but still basically competent spy on his diehard enemy of hundreds of years. Certainly a safe situation for him, no stress there. He is heavily blood bound to his sire who likes to peek in on what he’s doing randomly. But like its fine, really, blood bounds aren’t so bad especially when his sire is Such A Nice Man (He’s not, he forced the aforementioned enemy to kill his own son but really like its fine.
He fucked around and Found Out on an early mission and got stuck in a nasty Changeling contract. Many kindred hate him on the basis of his sire alone. One of his former coterie mates defected to the Sabbat, one is in torpor, and one has been kidnapped by the ousted Prince now enemy of the city. To top it all off, things are Super Weird with his ex and he’s in constant danger just by associating with Mark. But you know, he just got territory. What could go wrong?
Not to be dramatic but since hiori is blasian in canon I need black x readers asap🗣️ like we are DEF not getting any cultural background on this kid (because they just slid it in there like we weren’t gonna recognize in the first place)not that we have any background on any of these children’s parents but I think he should explain how he feels being mixed in Japan because it’s just really funny having these two in the exact same anime, and they are both black 
This is ABSOLUTELY hilarious 😭
Edit: so I’ve noticed a pattern of EVERY character looking like their mother and barely sharing any resemblance to their fathers so ig he gets a pass for being pale BUT there’s even more melaninated characters so let’s give him some sun too!!🥺
Some randomly generated mewtwo designs Ive done that are adopted, likely more to come too! (I'll just keep adding to this post as I finish em) Generator made by @the-mew-crew! You can find the link in the reblogs
TW for horror ish elements but uh, AU where supernatural creatures exist and the world knows about them so they don't have to hide.
Steve is one of the prestigious Harrington Werewolves, large mansion backed onto the woods for full moons. People always respected or feared his father - a werewolf like him - and so his teachers at school would let him have the day of the full moon off. Where Steve would end up alone in his mausoleum of a house, pacing and trying not to scratch and pull at his hair or punch walls as he got more and more tense as he can start to feel the pull of the full moon. He's angry and hungry and so so lonely. He knows it would be easier with someone else there with him - with pack - werewolves are social creatures except his parents are never home, he doesn't trust Tommy or Carol not to poke and prod, and set him off in a violent rage. So he goes it alone, and it fucking sucks.
The full moon rises, he takes his clothes off, and Steve walks alone into the woods. He can feel it pulling inside him, the call of the moon or the wolf or whatever you want to fucking call it. It has gotten to the point where he can't ignore it anymore. He drops to the ground and screams. Hands grasping at the dirt beneath him, body convulsing as he changes. His bones snap. His muscles tear. Fur sprouts. His muzzle grows. It looks and feels like he is being torn apart. Steve is human and Steve is a wolf and he is both and he is neither and he can hear the moon calling and he wants to rip and tear and hunt and feed and he has no one to calm him down.
He awakens alone and naked in the middle of the woods, covered in dirt and what he hopes is dried animal blood. So he goes home, showers, crawls into bed and tries not to think about going to school tomorrow.
And then he meets Nancy and he's dating Nancy and he can feel the wolf in him getting possessive so he tries to hold back. Except he can smell her perfume from across the room and hear her heart beat all the way across school and he loves her. He wants her near, but he doesn't want to hurt her. And then Barb dies in his pool and Nancy blames them both and he can hear the rumours that he killed her and its eating himself up inside.
The Demogorgan dies and he tries to be better. Nancy says he's bullshit, their love is bullshit, and Steve can hear his own heart breaking.
Then he meets Dustin and the little shit worms his way into his heart, talking about a fucked up dog that ate his cat and asking for tips about how to talk to girls. He fights Billy and is winning until Billy fights dirty and pulls out the silver tipped knife and smashes a plate on his head. He saves their lives and can slowly feel Dustin becoming one of his. He goes round to the Henderson's place for dinner and finds that actually eating a large home cooked meal before the full moon makes the anger and the hunger not as bad. He can pick Dustin's heartbeat out of a crowded room and would recognize his scent anywhere. Steve's reluctant to mention it, maybe it's too much, but he lets it slip once and Dustin thinks it's AWESOME.
Robin starts out as just a coworker, then they get locked in a Russian base together with two kids who they both agreed to protect. And Steve gets tortured to protect Robin because he can take more hits than her. And he does and she thinks they killed him. But he's alive and they're drugged and they're in the mall spilling their guts on a bathroom floor and Steve can hear her heart rabbitting in her chest and can smell the panic rolling off her. Then he makes a joke about Tammy Thompson being a Muppet and it goes away and he knows that Robin is becoming one of his. His platonic soulmate. And she starts coming round to his place after the full moon with breakfast to share. Where she holds him and helps clean him and make sure he comes back to himself. He is not alone.
Next Dustin won't stop talking about Eddie, and Steve can feel the jealously rising in his gut like a horrid sickly thing. He knows that being a werewolf can make his emotions more intense, and he knows that Dustin still loves him but he can't help but worry that he's being replaced. Then Vecna happens and Eddie's wanted for murder and he's meeting Eddie and he can smell the sheer terror rolling off the guy. And then the confusion and relief when they believe him. Next thing they're on the lake and they're in the upside down facing down bats and Steve gives into the wolf as he bites down into it. Lets his eyes glow and his teeth sharpen as he growls when he slams that fucking bat into the ground. Then he talks with Eddie and he's actually kind of cool and really fucking pretty and Steve knows enough about his emotions to know that this could be the start of an all encompassing crush and he's trying hard not to focus on the fact that the vest smells like Eddie and therefore HE smells like Eddie.
Then they're facing Vecna and Steve can't help but extend his werewolf hearing, and he hears Dustin screaming his name, calling for him to come help, it's Eddie. So Steve fucking sprints back to the trailer as fast as he can only to find Eddie bleeding out in Dustin's arms. He knows first aid from his time as a life guard, he can hear his heart still beating, so Steve buckles down and tries to save Eddie's life.
And he does and theyre in the hospital and he's not healing the way a werewolf should and he can't help but focus on the sounds of everyone's heartbeat to ground him. Listening to the sounds of Eddie's surgery through the walls. Trying to push down the overwhelming hospital smell of blood and emotion and medicine and it's all too much and he's hurt and Eddie's hurt.
And that's all I got for right now lmao
(Sorry I keep throwing these aus at you, I don't have any Stranger Things friends and my brain will not stop throwing ideas out)
Oh my sweet christ. Listen I saw this in my inbox and KNEW it was going to be good so I saved it so I could savour every single word and fuck it was worth it
Steve so used to waking up the morning after a full moon with dried tears and dirty sheets, ready to start the clean up routine but Robin let herself and Dustin in. Both sleeping in the spare room. Robin hears Steve waking up and pads through to his room, sees the mess and goes to him, holds him. Tells him it’s okay, he’s okay. Dustin comes in with fresh sheets and kind eyes, dropping the sheets on the floor to crowd around steve. To let him feel that he’s cared for. And he does. For the first time in his life he does.
——
Steve watches Eddie in the hospital. As soon as he gets discharged Steve does a patrol of the new trailer every night. Making sure he can hear Eddie’s heartbeat, forcing himself not to climb through the window when he can hear him tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He never gets close, doesn’t watch him sleep or anything, he’s not like that, Steve just wants to protect and this is the only way he knows how without telling Eddie exactly how he feels.
It’s worse when he’s in wolf form, can feel the pull of Eddie, wants to be with him, wants to keep him safe. Steve wants to talk to Robin and Dustin about this whole body need but can’t. He can’t let them know that the wolf is winning. Can’t risk them looking at him with wary eyes. So he keeps himself quiet and he does his best to protect his friends.
That is until one full moon night one of Eddie’s ‘business meetings’ goes wrong and suddenly Hawkins own Steve Harrington is bounding through town in wolf form because Eddie is in danger.
oh god. okay I'm going to put this under a cut because of the topics involved.
Content warning for: discussions of consent (which includes mentioning non-con themes), discussions of intense kink practices, and references to cult-related trauma as per DW canon.
I will continue tagging all posts about this fic, as well as posting the fic itself, with "The Fic That's A Lot," as well as "c2g" which is an abbreviation of its title.
MINORS DO NOT INTERACT WITH THIS IN ANY WAY, I MEAN IT
I am going to be frank, this fic is about CNC. If you don't know what that is...well, it's highly probable this is not the story for you. But I will provide an explanation anyway if anyone's curious.
CNC stands for, in this context, "Consensual Non-Consent," which probably seems like an oxymoron. It refers to people roleplaying a fictional scenario where one of the parties involved pretends (key word pretends) to object to, protest, or otherwise not want to participate in a sexual encounter--this is what the "non-consent" part of the name refers to. Meanwhile, the other party pretends (again, key word pretends) to coerce the protesting party into some kind of sexual activity. The parties are, in a sex/kink situation, acting out a pre-agreed scene--which is what the "consensual" part of the name refers to, that pre-agreement--of non-consent.
It is important to note that this is not the same thing as actual assault: Boundaries are intensively discussed beforehand, and everyone involved decides together on a separate safeword and/or physical movement that anyone can use to end the roleplay scene immediately. Someone may be using words like "Stop" or "No" within the scene itself because they are playing the role of someone who does not consent to what is currently happening (akin to acting in a play or a movie, where an actor has to pretend to like or dislike or approve or disapprove or want or not want various things, regardless of whether any of that matches up with who they actually are as a person--in a CNC scenario, the people are playing characters, albeit in a much, much more intense way). But if something happens in this roleplay scene that someone does genuinely object to, there is a separate mechanism (sometimes several mechanisms) serving as a way out, fulfilling the function that something like "stop" or "get away from me" would fulfill in a non-CNC encounter.
ALL OF THIS TO SAY. The premise of this particular story examines how both of these characters (this is an 11/R fic, and I am trying very hard to make sure this post doesn't end up in the show or character tags) would get to the point where they realize this is something they want to do. And then, from there, once they've separately and individually realized that: What do they discover about themselves and their relationship in the process? How do they talk about it once it becomes clear that this is something they both want? How do they feel about wanting it? How does this interact with the woman in question having a background of, essentially, being brainwashed by a cult and having her childhood stolen? And how does this situation relate to how these characters view the concepts of control and romantic love? (Honestly, even more than the CNC itself, which is something that gets frequently maligned as romanticizing/normalizing abuse when people write about it, the most controversial part of this is that I put her in the sub role and not the dom role, lmao. Which I have a whole essay in my brain on why that is based on various lines/scenes/behavior in canon, but I don't think that's important right now and also this answer is already too goddamn long.) And then, in addition to all those aforementioned things, what are some of the other facets of their relationship outside of this?
Like I have mentioned at-length. This is. A lot. There's a reason the average person does not engage with CNC. And there is a lot of communication and set up that has to happen for this to work. (I had to do. SO much research for this.) But I want to confirm that nothing actually non-consensual happens in this story. He doesn't ever come anywhere remotely near hurting her (he doesn't even actually fantasize about anything, he just realizes he Has Some Particular Ideas and then feels really bad about them). And although I'm not going to spoil specifics, they both have a very positive experience with it.
I will say, though this is dual pov, more of it is from his perspective, and he is acting out the role of the aggressor. So that's another thing people need to be mindful of if they have an interest in reading this once it's up.
what is my music taste atp because people ask me what music i like and i always shrug or say “a lot of stuff, nothing in specific” (how do u answer this question) (i’m gonna rant forgive me)
um but there ARE styles of music i like, but sometimes it’s conditional like the only country music i can even tolerate is taylor swift’s old stuff and that’s because i’ve liked her since i was like 5 ok leave me alone.. i still like her too but whatever that style of music is i don’t listen to much else like it?
i don’t have the words to describe what i like. Computery? Sythy? Sounds like a robot is singing it? I like video game soundtracks.. i like songs that tell stories. But that’s not a genre of music and a song can still fall into these categories and i can still hate it.
like my hyperfixation album i can sit through and skip NOTHING because it’s all so consistent and within the barriers of music i love. But how do you describe that consistency? WHAT exactly is consistent? What’s the common element of these songs? And what makes them different from other songs like them that i dislike?
Am i just too dumb to know that all these answers have some hidden meaning i don’t understand?
where is the barrier between one song in a genre, and another?
WHAT DOES THE QUESTION “WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LIKE” EVEN MEAN. I DON’T KNOW WHAT MUSIC I LIKE. I JUST LIKE MUSIC. I LIKE THESE ALBUMS I LIKE THESE SONGS BUT HOW DO I DESCRIBE THAT IN A WAY THAT’S SHORT AND SWEET ENOUGH FOR SMALL TALK? WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF ME? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO RESPOND WITH?
my dad is suddenly repeatedly facing the fact that how he communicates simply. does not come through for the rest of us we r just not picking up what he is putting down. and he is so baffled and confused he's like guys I told you all this I'm being so clear about this. and we r like. you are so not, sorry </3
I have so much to say about Album so I’m just going to start typing and see where it goes.
This drawing is based on The Protector, which is,,,,,, aaaaaa. Jason Sweettooth Williams does really amazing, he conveys the emotion so well in this recording, it's insane. Also the music is so good. Literally gives me shivers.
In my understanding this song is about a father who had some bad experiences in his childhood when he tried to seek comfort in various unhealthy coping mechanisms, and he doesn’t want his kid to go through the same thing so he tries to make sure they feel safe. Because the ‘protector’ that they need isn’t someone to fight off bad guys, it’s someone who will make sure they feels safe and loved and cared for, to protect them from what they might do to themselves. But the father hasn’t quite figured this out, he gets close to understanding in the song, but he’s still so scared and desperately doing everything he can to protect his child. Like telling them to avoid certain places - presumably places where he has had bad experiences. But it wasn’t because the places are dangerous, it was because he was vulnerable as a kid and didn’t have someone to help him navigate the world. The main thing is that he wants the child to know that he will always protect them, no matter what.
This a bit vague but point is this song is really good and listening to it has had an effect on me. Thank you Joe Iconis thank you Jason Sweettooth Williams.
We all know what I mean! The "zing" when the character's faces are get close enough must come unexpected (but) when both of them are looking for romance/comfort.
For example:
Tripping over each other in the hallway
Person A covering their face with their hands and Person B prying them off, their eyes meeting...
Sitting next to each other in the library, elbows touching, and they happen to turn around to face each other...
Find a natural way to bring your characters the romantic atmosphere!
#2 Noticing the Other Person
It's natural to to see someone in a different way when there's romantic vibe pulsating in the air. Maybe your character notices that their crush has a speck of green in their eyes they didn't notice before.
#3 Build Ups
Describe how the characters feel moments before their lips touch. This includes things like racing hearts, sweaty palms, unsteady breathing. etc.
#4 Feeling all Self-Conscious
If you're writing a first-person POV or want to portray the nervous excitement of kissing a love interest for the first time, you can afford to have your character be distracted by how they feel inside, or worrying about how they smell/look, etc.
Maybe they feel like it's too early in the relationship to kiss
They're still thinking about that annoying math problem
Did I apply my new cherry-flavored chapstick? etc.
This should come in the same beat as the "notice the other person", heightening the romance tension between the characters.
Once they get closer and the kiss actually happens, these worries will melt away!
#4 Describing the Details
In most cases, it's best to keep things understated (especially in regards to tongues)
tongues cannot "tangle" or "battle" or "swish around"...please, no.
Focus on the lips and how the characters move (like hugging, pushing the other against a wall, breathing, etc.), adding the tongue as an afterthought.
Don't get too exicted about taste.
No, her tongue didn't taste like fresh roses and peaches, unless she was eating peach candy right before the kiss.
Focus on other sensations other than taste: especially touch, heat. the tickle of his breath on her cheekc, etc. Or even the smell of shampoo.
#5 The Pullaway + Reaction
Does the kiss end naturally, or does something else interrupt them?
How do the characters react: do they blush, say something, hug he other person, or run away with a deep blush? For couples, they can even tease the other.
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FYI artists and writers: some info regarding tumblr's new "third-party sharing" (aka selling your content to OpenAI and Midjourney)
You may have already seen the post by @staff regarding third-party sharing and how to opt out. You may have also already seen various news articles discussing the matter.
But here's a little further clarity re some questions I had, and you may too. Caveat: Not all of this is on official tumblr pages, so it's possible things may change.
(1) "I heard they already have access to my data and it doesn't really matter if I opt out"
From the 404 article:
A new FAQ section we reviewed is titled “What happens when you opt out?” states “If you opt out from the start, we will block crawlers from accessing your content by adding your site on a disallowed list. If you change your mind later, we also plan to update any partners about people who newly opt-out and ask that their content be removed from past sources and future training.”
So please, go click that opt-out button.
(2) Some future user: "I've been away from tumblr for months, and I just heard about all this. I didn't opt out before, so does it make a difference anymore?"
Another internal document shows that, on February 23, an employee asked in a staff-only thread, “Do we have assurances that if a user opts out of their data being shared with third parties that our existing data partners will be notified of such a change and remove their data?”
Andrew Spittle, Automattic’s head of AI replied: “We will notify existing partners on a regular basis about anyone who's opted out since the last time we provided a list. I want this to be an ongoing process where we regularly advocate for past content to be excluded based on current preferences. We will ask that content be deleted and removed from any future training runs. I believe partners will honor this based on our conversations with them to this point. I don't think they gain much overall by retaining it.”
It should make a difference! Go click that button.
(3) "I opted out, but my art posts have been reblogged by so many people, and I don't know if they all opted out. What does that mean for my stuff?"
This answer is actually on the support page for the toggle:
This option will prevent your blog's content, even when reblogged, from being shared with our licensed network of content and research partners, including those that train AI models.
And some further clarification by the COO and a product manager:
zingring: A couple people from work have reached out to let me know that yes, it applies to reblogs of "don't scrape" content. If you opt out, your content is opted out, even in reblog form.
cyle: yep, for reblogs, we're taking it so far as "if anybody in the reblog trail has opted out, all of the content in that reblog will be opted out", when a reblog could be scraped/shared.
So not only your reblogged posts, but anyone who contributed in a reblog (such as posts where someone has been inspired to draw fanart of the OP) will presumably be protected by your opt-out. (A good reason to opt out even if you yourself are not a creator.)
Furthermore, if you the OP were offline and didn't know about the opt-out, if someone contributed to a reblog and they are opted out, then your original work is also protected. (Which makes it very tempting to contribute "scrapeable content" now whenever I reblog from an abandoned/disused blog...)
(4) "What about deleted blogs? They can't opt out!"
I was told by someone (not official) that he read "deleted blogs are all opted-out by default". However, he didn't recall the source, and I can't find it, so I can't guarantee that info. If I get more details - like if/when tumblr puts up that FAQ as reported in the 404 article - I will add it here as soon as I can.
Edit, tumblr has updated their help page for the option to opt-out of third-party sharing! It now states:
The content which will not be shared with our licensed network of content and research partners, including those that train AI models, includes:
• Posts and reblogs of posts from blogs who have enabled the "Prevent third-party sharing" option.
• Posts and reblogs of posts from deleted blogs.
• Posts and reblogs of posts from password-protected blogs.
• Posts and reblogs of posts from explicit blogs.
• Posts and reblogs of posts from suspended/deactivated blogs.
• Private posts.
• Drafts.
• Messages.
• Asks and submissions which have not been publicly posted.
• Post+ subscriber-only posts.
• Explicit posts.
So no need to worry about your old deleted blogs that still have reblogs floating around. *\o/*
But for your existing blogs, please use the opt out option. And a reminder of how to opt out, under the cut:
The opt-out toggle is in Blog Settings, and please note you need to do it for each one of your blogs / sideblogs.
On dashboard, the toggle is at https://www.tumblr.com/settings/blog/blogname [replace "blogname" as applicable] down by Visibility:
For mobile, you need the most recent update of the app. (Android version 33.4.1.100, iOs version 33.4.) Then go to your blog tab (the little person icon), and then the gear icon for Settings, then click Visibility.
Again, if you have a sideblog, go back to the blog tab, switch to it, and go to settings again. Repeat as necessary.
If you do not have access to the newest version of the app for whatever reason, you can also log into tumblr in your mobile browser. Same URL as per desktop above, same location.
Note you do not need to change settings in both desktop and the app, just one is fine.
Is your pro-Palestine activism hurting innocent people? Here's how to avoid that.
Note: If you prefer plain text, you can read the plain text version here.
Over the last few days, I’ve had conversations with several Jewish people who told me how hurt and scared they are right now.
To my great regret, some of that pain came from a poorly-thought-out post of mine, which – while not ill-intentioned – WAS hurtful.
And a lot of it came from cruelty they’d experienced at the hands of people who claim to be advocating for Palestine, but are using the very real plight of innocent Palestinians to harm equally innocent Jewish people.
Y’all, we need to do better. (Yes, “we” definitely includes me; this is in no small part a “learn from my fail” post, and also a “making amends” post. Some of these are mistakes I’ve made in the past.)
So if you’re an advocate for Palestine who wants to make sure that your defense of one group of vulnerable people doesn’t harm another, here are some important things to do or keep in mind:
Ask yourself if you’re applying a standard to one group that you aren’t applying to another.
Would you want all white Americans or Canadians to be expelled from America or Canada?
Do you want all Jewish people to be expelled from Israel, as opposed to finding a way to live alongside Palestinian Arabs in peace?
If the answer to those two questions is different, ask yourself WHY.
Do you want to be held responsible for the actions of your nation’s army or government? No? Then don’t hold innocent Jewish people, or Israelis in general (whether Jewish or otherwise), responsible for the actions of the Israeli army and government.
On that subject, be wary of condemning all Israeli people for the actions of the IDF. Large-scale tactical decisions are made by the top brass. Service is compulsory, and very few can reasonably get out of service.
Blaming all Israelis for the military’s actions is like blaming all Vietnam vets for the horrors in Vietnam. They’re not calling the shots. They aren’t Nazis running concentration camps. They are carrying out military operations that SHOULD be criticized.
And do not compare them or ANY JEWISH PERSON to Nazis in general. It is Jewish cultural trauma and not outsiders’ to use against them.
Don’t infuse legitimate criticism with antisemitism.
By all means, spread the word about the crimes committed by the Israeli army and government, and the complicity of their allies. Criticize the people responsible for committing and enabling atrocities.
But if you imply that they’re committing those crimes because they’re Jewish, or because Jewish people have special privileges, then you’re straying into antisemitic territory.
Criticize the crime, not the group. If you believe that collective punishment is wrong, don’t do it yourself.
And do your best to use words that apply directly to the situation, rather than the historical terms for situations with similar features. For example, use “segregation,” “oppression,” or “subjugation,” not “Holocaust” or “Jim Crow.” These other historical events are not the cultural property of Jews OR Palestinians, but also have their own nuances and struggles and historical contexts.
Also, blaming other world events on Jewish people or making Jewish people associated with them (for instance, some people falsely blame Jewish people for the African slave trade) is a key feature of how antisemitism functions.
Please, by all means, be specific and detailed in your critiques. But keep them focused on the current political actors – not other peoples’ or nations’ political or cultural histories and traumas.
Be prepared to accept criticism.
You probably already know that society is infused with a wide array of bigotries, and that people growing up in that environment tend to absorb those beliefs without even realizing it. Antisemitism is no exception.
What that means is, there’s a very real chance that you will screw up, and get called out on it, as I so recently did.
If that happens, please be willing to learn and adapt. If you can educate yourself about the suffering and needs of Palestinians, you can do the same for Jewish people.
Understand that the people you hurt aren’t obligated to baby you. Give them room to be angry.
After I made a post that inadvertently hurt people, some were nice about it, and others weren’t. Some outright insulted my morals and intelligence.
And I had to accept that I’d earned that from them.
I’d hurt them, and they weren’t obligated to be more careful with my feelings than I had been with theirs.
They weren’t obligated to forgive me, trust me, or stop being mad at me right away.
I’ll admit, there were moments when I got defensive. I shouldn’t have. And I encourage you to try not to, if you screw up and hurt people.
I know that’s hard, but it’s important. Getting defensive only tells people you care more about doubling down on your mistake than you do about healing the hurt it caused.
Instead, acknowledge that they have a right to be angry, apologize for the way you hurt them, and try to make amends, while understanding that they don’t owe you trust or forgiveness.
Be aware that some antisemites are using legitimate complaints to “Trojan horse” antisemitism into leftist spaces.
This is a really easy stumbling block to trip over, because most people probably don’t look at every post a creator makes before sharing the one they’re looking at right now.
I recently shared a video that called out some of the Likud and IDF’s atrocities and hypocrisy, and that also noted that many Jewish people are wonderful members of their communities.
I was later informed that, while that video in particular seemed reasonable, the creator behind it is frequently antisemitic.
I deleted the post, and blocked the creator. I encourage you to do the same if it’s brought to your attention that you’ve been ‘Trojan horse’d.
EDIT: Important note about antisemitism in leftist spaces:
While it's true that some blatant antisemites are using seemingly reasonable posts to get their foot in the door of leftist spaces, it's also true that a lot of antisemitism already exists inside those spaces.
This antisemitism is often dressed up in progressive-sounding language, but nonetheless singles Jewish people and places out in ways that aren't applied equally to other groups, or that label Jewish people in ways that portray them as acceptable targets.
If you want to see some specific examples, so you can have a better idea of what to keep an eye out for, I suggest reading this excellent reblog of this post.
Fact-check your doubts about antisemitism.
Depending on which parts of the internet you look at, you’ve probably seen people accused of antisemitism because they complained about the Likud and/or IDF’s actions. So you might be primed to be wary, or feel unsure of how to tell what counts as real antisemitism.
But that doesn’t mean antisemitism isn’t a very real, widespread, and harmful problem. And it doesn’t mean many or even most Jewish people are lying to you or being overly sensitive.
So if someone says something is antisemitic, and you aren’t sure, I encourage you to:
A. Look up the action or thing in question, including its history. Is there an antisemitic history or connotation you aren’t aware of? For best results, include “antisemitic” in your search query, in quotes.
B. Understand that some things, while not inherently antisemitic, have been used by antisemites often enough that Jewish people are understandably wary of them. Schrodinger’s antisemitism, if you will.
C. Ask Jewish people WHO HAVE OFFERED TO HELP EDUCATE YOU. Emphasis on WHO HAVE OFFERED. Random Jewish people aren’t obligated to give you their time and emotional energy, or to educate you – especially on subjects that are scary or painful for them.
@edenfenixblogs has kindly offered her inbox to those who are genuinely trying to learn and do better, and I’ve found her to be very kind, patient, reasonable, and fair-minded.
Understand that this is URGENTLY NEEDED.
In one of my conversations with a Jewish person who’d called me out, they said this was the most productive conversation they’d had with a person with a Palestinian flag in their profile.
THIS IS NOT OKAY.
I didn’t do anything special. All I did was listen, apologize for my mistakes, and learn.
Yes, it feels good to be acknowledged. But I feel like I’ve been praised for peeing IN the toilet, instead of beside it.
Apologizing, learning, and making amends after you hurt people shouldn’t be “the most reasonable thing I’ve heard from a person with a Palestinian flag pfp.”
It should be BASIC DECENCY.
And the fact that it’s apparently so uncommon should tell you how much unnecessary stress and fear Jewish people have been living with because of people who consider themselves defenders of human rights.
By all means, be angry at the Likud, the IDF, and the politicians, reporters, and specific media outlets who choose to enable and cover up for them.
But direct that anger toward the people who deserve it and are in a position to do something about it, not random people who simply happen to be Jewish, or who don’t want millions of people to be turned into refugees when less violent methods of achieving freedom and rights for Palestinians are available.
can you make a fix of cod guys reaction to you getting into an argument with them, which causes us to flinch and cover our face from any impact because we had an abusive ex.
He’d run his hand through his hair if he didn’t have this bloody mask on. Ghost looked down at you, his eyes narrowing in and scrutinizing your every minute detail. You tried to glare back, but you were feeling rather small with the weight of his disappointed glower.
“You’ve got t’be more careful,” his voice boomed, though he was trying to keep it at a normal level.
“I know, I’m sorry—”
“Sorry isn’t gonna cut it when you get someone killed,” he growled, taking a step in, closing the space between the two of you.
You stepped back on instinct and bumped into the wall—trapped. You suddenly felt trapped. You knew that logically he wouldn’t hurt you, but something about his pissed-off demeanor and towering frame triggered something in you. Your breathing increased exponentially and Ghost watched helplessly as your chest rose and fell in rapid beats.
A bit taken aback by your response, Ghost raised a hand to grab your shoulder and you turned your head and shied away. You let out a small gasp as if waiting for him to land a blow on you.
You squeezed your eyes shut, the entire moment passing by excruciatingly slow. That’s when you knew you fucked up. Ghost dropped his hand and his fist clenched, putting everything together all at once. Something inside him broke seeing you look at him like that—with fear in your eyes. It fucking hurt.
“M’not gonna hurt you,” he said in a much softer tone than earlier. He’d never lay a hand on you, even out of love, if you didn’t want it.
You blinked rapidly, forcing yourself to look up at him, your face inflamed. “I-I know. I didn’t… I don’t know why…” The words got lost in your throat. You were so embarrassed.
“Who?” He asked sharply.
You tilted your head, your hands squeezing at your sides. Ghost took a step back to give you room, though he wanted nothing more than to step into you closer, to pull you against him. He didn’t care how annoyed he was with you, all that drifted away, unimportant nonsense he’d come back to later.
“ Who… ?” You repeated.
“Who. Hurt. You?” He bent over slightly, aligning his face with yours as he talked, making sure you couldn’t turn your face away from him.
“J-Just an ex-boyfriend. It’s not a big deal. I don’t know why I responded like that. I-I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”
Ghost sighed, his eyes dancing between yours. “No. I wouldn’t.” His voice was dark and deep again. “But I have nothin’ against hurtin’ that bastard.”
“Ghost, please.”
He straightened and rolled his shoulders, trying to suppress the bubbling anger. He looked down at you at last. “Can I touch you?” He asked softly.
You nodded, tears falling down your cheeks now. He tentatively took a step towards you and pulled you into his arms. He wrapped them securely around you and you nuzzled your face into his jacket. If he wasn’t so shocked over the way you responded to him, he’d be yelling at you to tell you who it was that hurt you so he could hunt them down.
Instead, he clutched you close to him, trying not to think about the fear that crossed your eyes, even if it was momentarily. Even if it wasn’t because of him. He never wanted you to look at him like that again. Something rotten tugged at his heart as he felt you try to stifle your cries. Oh, he was definitely going to kill that bastard. And he was going to make it slow and painful.
Price
You chased after Price as he made his way down the hall. “I swear I didn’t mean to—!”
He cut you off, spinning on his heels, making you bump into his chest and slam to a halt. “It doesn’t matter what you meant !” He yelled, losing his composure briefly.
You flinched at his loud words, stepping away from him. It was a quick movement, a subtle tick of your face, your eyes squinted as you pulled your head away. You acted like this was something you were all too familiar with.
Immediately Price’s anger shifted away from you and onto whatever bastard trained you to cower.
His widened eyes traced your face and you slowly read his expression as he came to the realization of why you would flinch away from him when he shouted. You watched as several emotions crossed Price’s countenance.
His voice was hushed as he edged closer to you, the deep baritone sending a shiver up your spine. “Y’don’t have t’tell me now,” his voice was so low as he spoke. “But you will tell me who, eventually.”
“John, I–”
He was always so gentle with you. But right now, the intense hatred for whoever this bastard was that harmed you, took over. He shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Don’t wanna hear it, doll. You will tell me who did this to you if it’s the last thing I get out of you.”
A wave of heat crossed your cheeks, his eyes boring into yours. You nodded meekly and his face softened. “Com’ere,” he cooed, opening his arms. You stepped into them and were immediately surrounded in the warm comfort Price brought you, one hand rubbing circles on your back and the other sliding up into your hair, tucking your head under his chin.
“S’your not mad at me, anymore?” Your words muffled by his body.
You felt his chest rumble as he spoke. “Could never stay mad at you.”
Soap
“Blood hell,” Soap whined, annoyed with you for hiding the arm wound you got the other day.
“It’s not as serious as it looks,” you tried to convince him, your lips quirking into a weak smile.
He closed his eyes to collect his last remaining patience. “Not serious—” he repeated, his words rising in several octaves as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’ve got twenty stitches in your arm! How the fuck is that not serious?!”
He reached for your arm and you pulled it away, shuddering briefly from the brief touch of his fingertips. The two of you froze, his eyes darting to meet yours the second he saw the shift in your composure.
“Gonna tell me why y’just did that?” He sat still in his seat, trying to steady his voice.
“Did what?” You asked, attempting to play dumb, but the tears were already misting in your eyes.
Soap sighed, his face dropping as he studied you. “Fuckin’ hell,” he said with displeasure. “You shoulda told me. I wouldn’t have—I woulda been more—” He lost his words, watching as a few stray tears fell down your cheeks.
“Hey, hey, hey,” he said softly. His thumb came up to wipe the tears away, his hand then cupping the side of your cheek. “S’okay. M’not mad.” You leaned into his hand.. “Jus’ wish ya woulda told me.” You nodded and he gave you a weak smile.
“Com’on, let’s get that bandage changed.” His voice was gentle as he coaxed you up, wrapping an arm protectively around you as he led you down to the infirmary. You would discuss this later. Right now, all he wanted was to make sure you felt safe in his arms.
Gaz
Gaz wouldn’t say he had anger issues… he just got passionate about the people he cared about, and sometimes that would come out in spurts of angry shouts. What he didn’t expect, was the way you reacted the first time he ever lost his cool in front of you.
“I cannot fuckin’ believe Shepherd,” he growled.
“Maybe we should just focus on the positive,” you said meekly, trying to help calm Gaz down.
“Yeah? And what fuckin’ positive is that?!” He shouted as he paced back and forth. He regretted it the moment it left his lips.
You squeezed your eyes shut at his words and brought your hands up for the briefest of seconds to cover your face.
Gaz whispered your name and you instantly tried to compose yourself. You straightened and gave an awkward smile.
“That wasn’t at you,” he corrected, his eyes deflating as he watched you. “I-I’m sorry. I’d never hurt you,” he said wistfully, running his hand over his hair and cursing. He looked at you completely differently than he had just moments earlier. His entire demeanor shifted. He was suddenly staring at you with such intensity it made something well in your eyes.
“No, Gaz. It’s not you.” That was the last sentence you could get out before the tears escaped. You quickly wiped them away and Gaz stepped towards you, resting both hands on either one of your shoulders.
“Hey,” he said calmly.
You gave him a sideways smile. “It’s just…” you tried to get the words out but they slipped away.
“S’alright. You don’t have to tell me.” His hands slid down your arms, giving you a squeeze before releasing you. “You know I’d never hurt you, right?”
You gave a small laugh. “I know that, Gaz.”
“Good.” He pulled you into his chest without asking, all his anger from earlier transforming into gentleness. “You can tell me when you’re ready,” he said into your hair.
You nodded. “Thank you.” He held you a bit tighter and you closed your eyes in peace. You never wanted him to let go.
König
He was frustrated with the way you were angry at him for insisting he do this mission alone. “You’re gonna get yourself killed!” You argued.
He had enough. He didn’t lose his temper often, but there was no way Konig was allowing you to come on a mission quite this dangerous. He pushed up from his chair, the table in front of him shaking as he did.
He was a big guy, and you knew that, but the way he quickly took up the space of the room amazed you. “Verfickte Hurerei!” Fucking hell! he shouted. “Why are you pressing this so hard?!” He gestured towards you, his fists clenched and you winced. You cowered away, surprising even yourself with your actions.
Konig watched you through his rapid blinking, dumbfounded by what just happened. It took him a second to process.
“Liebling?” He asked his voice back to its usual tone. “I wasn’t going to— fuck . I’m sorry.” A pang of guilt coursed through him. You thought he was going to hit you? Jesus Christ. He wanted to reach out to you but he refrained, knowing that might make things worse.
“Konig,” you whispered and his eyes snapped to yours. He tilted his head, studying you as you regained your composure. “S’not you.” Your words were so faint it hurt his heart a little.
He watched as you wiped away a stray tear. Your body had shifted back to how things used to be. Before Konig.
Your lip quivered and you felt so small and embarrassed. Konig mouthed your name breathlessly and you blinked away tears before closing the distance between the two of you. You practically fell into his arms and he tightened them on you instinctively.
“You okay, liebling?” He cooed, his hand stroking your hair.
You nodded. “M’sorry.”
He pulled back so you had to tilt your chin and look up at him. “Don’t apologize.” His hand came up and stroked your cheek.
“It’s not you,” you tried to reassure again, worried Konig was going to eat himself alive thinking you were afraid of him.
“I know.” Your lips pinched together and Konig pulled you back into him. “You’re safe. You’ll always be safe with me.”
You felt tears fall; not out of terrible memories, but out of the love you felt radiating off of Konig.
Alejandro
“Jesus, would you just listen to me?” You shouted.
“Listen to you?! You haven’t heard a fucking thing I’ve been saying!” He yelled back. His accent was always heavier on his words when he was mad.
He took a big step towards you, his knife still in his hand, covered in blood. You flinched when he approached so suddenly. His dark words and his fast movements made you duck in fear.
Alejandro paused all his movements, startled by your reaction. “Jesus,” he mumbled, sheathing his knife and holding his hands up. “I wouldn’t hurt you, mi amor.” He shook his head in frustration with himself. His jaw clenched as he watched you look back up at him. How awful he felt seeing your beautiful features shrouded in fear.
“I…” you swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. The yelling… I don’t know. It just made me think back to…”
Something inside Alejandro shifted at your faint words. “Mataré a ese bastardo,” I’ll kill that bastard , he growled. “Who was it? Who fuckin’ touched you?”
You shook your head. “Alejandro, please. It was so long ago.”
He clenched his fist, his other hand coming up to the scruff on his jaw. He closed his eyes to try and contain himself. When he opened them, you could still see the darkness lingering behind them. “I don’t care how long ago it was, mi amor. I need you to tell me who it was.”
You frowned and he closed his eyes again before walking up to you and pulling you into his arms. “God. I swear I’ll fuckin’ kill him.”
You let out the softest of giggles at how dramatic he could be. But still, you felt so safe knowing he would go to the ends of the world to protect you. You felt him kiss the top of your head, mumbling something about being sorry for yelling.