Randomly thinking about “tolerate it” (narrator voice: it was not random) and how under the cloak of fiction it is ostensibly inspired by works like “Rebecca” (which Taylor said she read during the 2020 lockdowns I believe?), with the line of “you’re so much older and wiser” indicating that the speaker is significantly younger and inexperienced compared to the person she’s speaking to and a pretty direct reference to the plot of the book.
But I saw something somewhere once that stuck with me about how it might not be referring to relative age between the characters but chronological age as in the passage of time in a relationship. And that made me think about how in a contemporary context, it might not necessarily be referencing an actual age gap between the two characters, but rather a sarcastic or cynical response to the man’s claims that he has matured (“you’re so much older and wiser [than you were before/than you were when we met/etc.]”), which then made me think about that line in relation to the woman. And that it could be taken like, “you act like you’ve matured so much in our time together and like you know everything, while I’m supposedly still stuck as the girl I was when we first met.”
Which then made me think of the “right where you left me” of it all and did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen time went on for everyone else she won’t know it and the bit in Miss Americana where she talks about how celebrities get frozen at the age at which they got famous, and how she’s had to play catch up in a lot of ways not just in her emotional growth but kind of in general. (Which also made me wonder if she’s ever been called out for immaturity/lack of curiosity/lack of education about things in her life…)
Which then made me think about the rest of the song, and @taylortruther’s posts yesterday about “seven” and “Daylight” and the way Taylor idealizes her youth yet contrasts it with an almost sinister reality in its wake, and the line, “I sit by the door like I’m just a kid,” because the discussion raised that her relationship let her recapture some of the childlike joy and wonder she’d lost. So this line is a double-edged sword: the speaker sits by the door with childlike hope that the person will come home and cherish her, but on the darker side, feels like the child dealing with the monsters she doesn’t have names for yet and the feelings of isolation she felt as she aged.
I’m not saying the song is necessarily autobiographical; like most of the songs on folkmore, it’s clearly a fictionalized story based on media she’d consumed and created, but we know a lot of the fictional songs were infused with her own feelings and experiences and… This idea swirling in my head picked up steam and now I kind of can’t stop thinking about it. Sorry but I’m a little obsessed now.
Like maybe it might start to shed light on why she identified so strongly with the novel in the first place…
109 notes
·
View notes
Thinking about the Chevalier interlude, specifically the inaugural team of Wards. Like in universe, they sell it to this first group of kids (and presumably the rest of the world) as a place for second chances, to find friends and mentors who understand what youre going through, where you can learn to use your powers safely while making good memories. The kids broadly seem to believe in these noble intentions of course, but what really gets me is that I've seen readers buy into it!
"Oh, it's such a tragedy that the Wards program became this awful thing that traumatizes kids even more, and expects them to die for the sake of civilians! It's fallen so short of what it was originally supposed to be!"
No it has not??? The fact that the triumvirate and Hero are saying it has this noble goal doesn't make it true. The Wards was pretty clearly always a way to increase the amount of bodies the prt could throw at threats, and we know this because it was started by the fucking Triumvirate as a part of the Protectorate! Alexandria literally came up with the idea of the Protectorate to legitimize the power of capes, and have a consistent source of heroes Cauldron could throw at problems. That is the whole reason for the PRT/Protectorate existing. So when we have this group of children brought in a subsidiary, there are 2 real options.
1). Cauldron and Alexandria decided they would be really niceys and created this program with no intentions other than helping these kids out.
Or 2). As things got worse, they realized the Protectorate didn't have enough manpower to do what they needed, and so they expanded it to include children (the demographic most prone to triggering). That way, they greatly increase the number of capes who they can send to fight and die as needed, and the ones who do survive their tenure in the Wards will be better trained when it comes time to join the actual Protectorate.
At the risk of sounding conceited, I think the second one is far more likely based on everything we know about Cauldron. Maybe it was originally a little nobler, and the goal was just to create more well trained heroes and cut back on young villains, but there's no way Alexandria, Doc Mom, and Contessa didn't factor in the ability to sacrifice the kid heroes if it improved their chances of success. That was absolutely a perk at minimum.
That's the real tragedy of the inaugural Wards. The kids were lured in with promises of safety, comraderie, and second chances like lambs to the slaughter. All the while, Alexandria and Cauldron knew that many (if not most) of these children would suffer abuse by the prt (like in the case of Reed), die, or face a fate worse than death like poor Mouse Protector. It's horrifying! The idea that they didn't know the danger these kids would be in is literally inconceivable. Especially when one of you is also the head of the prt! They knew, and they didn't care. It improved their chances at the end of the world, and so they did it no matter the cost.
212 notes
·
View notes
That last ask you got here, just reminds me of the fact that while TS fandom claims to be all about feminism and women supporting women, it surely lacks intersectionality and it SHOWS and this is in great part because that’s the kind of advocacy they get from the celeb they worship, that’s why is dangerous to just pander to one kind of feminism as if everyone had an universal experience, when it couldn’t be further from the reality, we need to have those conversations we need to learn from one another and whoever has a privilege, should make good use of it to uplift those who can’t at the moment
Yup!! That’s basically the point I’m trying to hone to be honest. Again, I absolutely believe we should support female artists in the music industry, especially when they will be held to higher standards than other male artists (even in that area we can have a conversation about the dynamic race plays between male artists, too). However, it’s imperative we discuss how Taylor and her fans only use feminism to tell other people they can’t be mean to her, or critique her. Are these group of people the minority in the fan base? Maybe, sure. But should we sweep it under the rug and let it fester just because it’s the minority? No.
Do I believe the average Taylor Swift stan is normal and doesn’t hate black women? Yes. I believe there’s a lot of them who just enjoy her music and don’t feel the need to bash other black female artists in order to prove how much better Taylor is. Nonetheless, there’s still a large group of her fans who claim to support all women but will not hesitate to degrade and shut out the voices of woc making valid criticisms against Taylor. Just look at the Matty Healy situation. A white woman’s partner is exposed for making disgusting racist comments about black women, and the responses are not “this powerful rich white woman is continuing to date this man and is being complicit through her silence, which is enabling his repulsive behavior and she needs to be held accountable” but instead “we need her to stay away from this bad man!”. Yes, because the image and reputation of this white woman is more important than the dangerous rhetoric her partner is spreading about the same women she claims to support! Yes, because this white woman can have a collab with the same woman (ice spice) her boyfriend was making racist remarks about and everything is ok! Yes, because it is the white woman who is the victim here, and if you can’t see that you’re a misogynist!
Taylor’s silence during the wave of transphobia, the criminalization and banning of drag shows, the uptick of hate against black women, and so much more just makes sense when you look at the company she keeps. Didn’t her team try to sue a journalist for stating Taylor constantly toes the line with conservatives and white supremacists a few years back? Just look at the CO2 emissions drama where everyone was like “man I hate privileged white millionaires” and then she dropped an album and everyone forgot? Any critique for Taylor is met with these responses: A) Taylor isn’t the worst apple out of the bunch so why is she getting attacked like this B) Y’all would never do this to male celebrities so just say y’all hate women C) Why is Taylor blamed for the actions of other men or D) [justifying anything Taylor has done].
So, what you’re saying is correct anon. We can not talk about feminism and supporting “all women” while also trying to lump the struggles of all women into a single category. The initial Feminist movement itself excluded other women of color, it was something only meant for white women. White women have a level of privilege over other women of color, and we can’t pretend they don’t because they’re just “women, too”. White women and their fake white tears have done so much harm to marginalized communities, especially my own black community. I want this conversation to actually mean something, for it to be a moment of self reflection, for it to actually be about supporting, advocating for, and uplifting the voices of all women. I don’t want this talk of “support all women” to only be brought up when someone attacks your white fav.
54 notes
·
View notes
Hello! Would you mind writing a Corey Cunningham thing where the reader is jealous of Allyson? Maybe Corey and the reader were friends, reader had a crush, but then the whole movie plot happens? Maybe even a little bit of yandere tendencies on the reader's part? Idk, whatever you feel is right, but I need more fics to be of a jealous reader... Mostly because I'm so jealous of Allyson personally...
Hiii, thank you so much for requesting! I really liked your request, I think that jealousy can be a very interesting feeling to write about. I hope I made your request justice and you like it 💕
When you walk away.
Summary: You loved your best friend Corey, maybe a bit too much, so it was completely normal for you to get hurt when he left you behind for Allyson. What maybe wasn't normal was how you reacted to this.
Pairing: Corey Cunningham x fem!reader.
Trigger warnings: Murder, manipulation, stalking and yandere themes in general.
You have been friends with Corey since you two were little kids. You two lived in front of each other and went to the same school and later on same high school too.
Corey was a very shy kid but also a very cute and funny one. You talked to him first and at the beginning he was kind of shy when talking to you but he really wanted to make friends and you seemed nice, unlike all the other kids, so eventually he warmed up to you.
With time you two became best friends. Corey never had many friends, even before the accident, he tried though. People would talk to him just enough so he didn't realize they were using him to get their homework done without any effort on their end other than talking to "Corey the nerd."
It bothered you how everyone would use him and leave him and he didn't realize or care. He got so happy when others talked to him in a friendly manner, and let's not talk about how flustered he would get when other girl's would bat their eyelashes at him before asking him if he could help them with their homework.
When the second thing happened was usually when you would blow up on him and tell him that he looked like an idiot getting used by everyone and then discarded. Usually after that you would say you were sorry and that you didn't mean to hurt him but it just pained you to see him get happy about people just talking with him out of interest.
He would always say it's fine, deep down he knew you were right and he appreciated having a friend like you that would tell him the truth, but he wanted to make friends so bad he just tried to ignore the fact that you were right.
But don't take that the wrong way, he loved you too, as a friend. You were his best friend, the person he trusted the most in the world, and probably the person he loved the most in the world, even if it was platonically.
Or well, that's how it was before she came around.
You were the only person who stuck with him after the accident, the only person who loved him without expecting nothing from him but love back, you never judged him and you trusted him with your life.
And for what? He discarded you the second another woman even looked his way. How could he do that to you?
He talked to Allyson one time and all of the sudden was all "Oh sorry, can we hang out another time? I already made plans" or "I forgot we already had plans sorry, can we change them?"
At the beginning you really wanted to believe it was a one time thing and before you knew it your Corey would be back in your arms crying because she left him like everyone ever does. But you were wrong this time, for the first time.
She didn't left him, they kept on hanging out and Corey stopped texting you and reaching out to you.
He would take days to answer your texts, sometimes weeks. When you called him out on it he said he was sorry and didn't mean to, that he was just busy and forgot to text you back.
At the beginning you were angry at him, you thought this was all him leaving you for someone prettier, someone who was more interesting, someone who stole what was yours.
But eventually you realized it was her behind all of this, she probably took some notes from her psycho relative Michael Myers and lied to Corey about you so he would stop talking to you.
You would follow Corey without him knowing to know what she did for or to him that was so special to make him forget all about you. He would laugh at her stupid jokes, he would listen to her how he used to listen to you and he would look at her how he was supposed to look at you.
One day you had enough, you went to her house when you thought it was just her. Pocket knife on your hand hidden on the pocket of your jacket. She opened the door looking clueless as if she didn't know you.
"Hi, can I help you?" Allyson asked looking at you like she was trying to figure out who you were and why you looked so familiar.
"Yeah, you can help me with something actually." You said with smile on your face but before you could take the knife out Corey came from behind her with a smile which completely dropped when he saw you and the dark look hiding behind your usually kind eyes.
"What are you doing here?" He asked moving Allyson out of the way softly before stepping out of the house making you take a few steps back.
"I just came here to talk to Allyson, I didn't know you were here." You said letting go of the knife and taking your hands out of your pockets.
Corey put a hand on your shoulder leading you out of the porch before telling you to please leave the two of them alone, and that you two could hang out another time if you stopped being so persistent.
That day was the day you decided to stop trying to talk to him. You still stalked him though but didn't text him as much. You knew that she will leave him eventually and he would come back.
And he did. He went months without hanging out with you, centering his whole attention on Allyson. You wanted to throw up everytime you thought about them together but somehow you couldn't stop doing so, praying that soon you would take her place.
Eventually she did leave him. It was past midnight and you were in your living room trying to concentrate on the movie that was on, when you heard desperate knocking at the door. You went to see who it was and you couldn't help but feel surprised by seeing Corey on the other side of the door.
You let out a scoff before opening. "What happened? Did your nurse girlfriend not open her door?" You asked, deep down you were aching to touch him and check if he was okay, you wanted to know who did this but he had to learn to never leave you again.
"Can I come in please? I'll tell you everything." He said looking at you with those big puppy eyes. You let him in and he made his way to your bedroom.
You went after him, grabbing the first aid box on the way. He sat on your bed while you sat next to him making him look at you while you tried to cure him.
"I'm sorry I left you." Your hand stopped moving and your eyes looked him at his instantly, your whole attention being centered on his apology that you been waiting for for a very long time. "You were right, like you always are."
A few tears rolled down his eyes and you wiped his tears with your soft fingers. "I should've never left you behind." For a few seconds you caressed his face slowly just to make sure you weren't hallucinating all of this. "I will never do that again, I promise."
His hands went to rest on top of yours before he left a sweet kiss on one of your hands. You couldn't help it anymore and you hugged him as intensely as you could without hurting him. He hugged you back caressing your hair.
"If you ever do that to me again I will kill you." You said letting out a few tears, it felt so good to have him back. "I missed you so much."
"I did too." He partially broke the hug putting his hands on your face making you look at him. "Do you wanna leave this town with me?"
It seemed very out of pocket, Corey looked and acted very different since the last time you two hang out but you always wanted to move with him somewhere far far away from here, and you wouldn't miss on the opportunity now.
"Yes!" You said smiling, he smiled back at you before kissing you. It felt as if fireworks were exploding on your head, you gladly kissed him back.
You weren't entirely sure of what happened to Corey on this time you two didn't talk but you loved this new Corey. This new Corey left you yes but, when he came back he made all of your dreams came true on the same night.
You couldn't be mad at him for long anyways so why not forgive him now and just enjoy this new beginning.
96 notes
·
View notes