#What that thing is I don't know it's incomprehensible to me and everyone else

[pygian-weapon]

My current analysis of deep space nine is that the six degrees of separation rule is applicable to everyone on the station, but instead of just knowing someone (which is easy when living in a space port with people going on and off) it is that that everyone has slept with someone who has slept with someone else etcetera, so all residents on the station are six one night stands (or less) away from each other.

#Rom and the Bajoran President? Rom has gotten some sweet and tender Oo-max from Leeta who has slept with Jadzia who has slept with Kira #who is having a thing with her ex-rebel leader and current planet representative #Keiko and Quark? Keiko is married to O'Brien who <what happens in the holosuits stays in the holosuits> with Julian #who had a never to repeat sex-pollened encounter with Kira who eventually might get with Odo (?) and he and Quark have obviously a thing #What that thing is I don't know it's incomprehensible to me and everyone else #Sisko is a tough nut to crack I'm sure there are a lot of people with a crush but he has high standards and Kassidy is away most of the time #So I'm not sure if she ever got down to have fun with anyone else. Maybe the captain with the see-through skull which unlocks Dax etc... #ds9

[bookwyrminspiration]

writer god i saw what you told tobi about the fic you're writing and. and. please tell me literally anything you're willing to share about this fic i need to know about the homosexuality

treasure I would LOVE to but also I can only say so much because it is a secret. I am a sneaky sneaky santa who's just also very publicly wailing

it's got homosexuality. it's got six characters. it's got four povs. all of the povs are povs I've never written before. three of the characters I've never written before. i needed to channel my inner big sister for one of them. it takes place in the middle of the night. someone had a nightmare. someone's crying. it's currently 12k words long and growing. everyone is being vulnerable. there's mallowmelt. there's a rooftop. there's a porch. there's casual touches from behind. they cup each others' faces and tuck hair behind the other's ear. gayly. there's banter. someone runs into a cabinet. there are seven sections switching between the four povs. they all connect. everything is simultaneous but no one knows it. i'm screaming at them. I'm screaming at them. they climb out a window.

alright you get all that? I think that was all very clear and self-explanatory. do I even need to share the fic at this point I've explained it all so well--

#kotlc #quil's queries #synonymroll648 #i wrote 1500 words yesterday and 1700 today and i am STILL GOING #also sharing this information I feel like it's entirely too obvious what I'm writing #but I also know that's just because I know what it means #and that this is likely incomprehensible to everyone else #i feel like there's some things that will appeal to a good portion of the fandom #but I also. don't want to be like cocky about it or anything #you guys gotta be nice to me about this one okay I'm trying very hard

[monstrousvoice]

"What about me?"

Husk's ears flicked behind him at the sound of your voice. He didn't turn away from the stock of bottles and booze lining the bar wall as he cleaned up for the morning.

"What about you?" He grumbled. He heard you shift around on the bar stool, the leather seat squeaking with your weight.

"You said you 'know everything' about everyone cause we all bitch at you when drunk...but you didn't complain about me." The cat demon felt his chest tighten at your words. He took a deep breath in through the nose.

'Don't turn around, if you do you'll see those big round eyes and you'll crack old man. Don't turn around.' The patronizing voice in his head hissed.

"Did you want me to air your dirty laundry for everyone?" He asked, peaking over his shoulder. He only caught a glimpse of your arm supporting you on the bar top before forcing his eyes back to the bottle racks infront of him. Bottles that didn't have your smile, or match the color of your eyes...

"Pfft," You scoff in return, "You know I don't, of course! But no one else wanted it either, and you still called 'em all out. So why didn't I get the same treatment?" Your voice was soft by the end of your question. Husk didn't dare let himself hope that you would be understanding. If you knew why...you'd laugh. What other response to his feelings could you have?

'Disgust is a strong possibility...' The voice whispered once more.

"I don't know what you mean doll, Angel just interrupted me with his fake ass flirting before I could get to you, I guess." He has been scrubbing this same bottle clean since you sat down. The label was incomprehensible by now.

"Husk." Your sweet voice has gone firm. The bartender braced himself, putting on his best poker face as he turned to face you.

And what a sight you were. Like always.

You simply raised your eyebrows, giving him a pointed look. He was...relieved? to not see judgement in your eyes. Such pretty eyes...like jewels on a crown...

Embarrassed by his own thoughts he coughed into his fist, hoping his fur would hide his blush. By the way your lovely eyes darted around his face, he could guess it didn't.

"Look, I just...happen to like you as a drinking buddy more than the rest of these chumps, alright? No big deal." His tail swished along the floor in frustration. What kind of stupid ass lie was that-

"Oh, I had been hoping it was a bigger deal..."

He froze, watching as you shifted around again. You stared at the bar top, fidgeting with your hands as you looked anywhere but him. When your eyes did meet, you have him an apologetic smile and a shrug.

"Sorry, I guess I was reading too much into things...looking for something that isn't there. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, b-bud? Eheh..." With an awkward chuckle you stood up, stepping away from the bar.

Away from him.

"I'll uh, leave you to it then. See ya later-"

"What if I lied?" Husk blurted before he could stop himself. The voice in his head was committing full arson on the wiring of his brain for being so stupid.

"H-huh?"

"Just now. What if I was lying? What if-what if you are a bigger deal to me?" He could feel his blood pounding in his veins, his heartbeat making everything sound muffled, like his head was stuffed with cotton.

But you weren't leaving anymore.

"Wh-well...I don't know, really..." You mumbled, arms wrapping around your middle in a hug. "I have some ideas but..." You met his gaze again, a small smile on your lips that definitely didn't make his stomach feel funny, or make the world seem pink and bright.

"Ideas?" The cat demon whispered, finally setting his rag and bottle down onto the counter. He suddenly found himself leaning closer to you over the bar, uncaring of the wood digging into his chest and unwilling to pull away again. Especially not when you got back into your seat, leaning closer to him too.

It felt like the world slowed to a crawl as you smiled at him, one of your hands sliding across the counter to nudge his hand. Gentle. Hesitant.

"Well, dinner always sounds nice yeah? If that was something you'd like to do~" You cooed. He couldn't stop the small smile he gave you even if he wanted to.

"I'd uh, have to agree. On the dinner. Dinner is always good." Fucking god above just have Alastor step in and crush his soul right now, he sounds so fucking idiotic-

"Great!" You perked up immediately. "I know this niche little place a couple blocks from here, they hardly ever get robbed cause no one notices them. They have some pretty good steak and whiskey." You looked at him hopefully, like the promise of meat with some quality whiskey wasn't his absolute dream date.

How did you get more perfect the longer he spoke to you? Wasn't the point of being perfect that you couldn't improve anymore? And yet here you were, somehow proving it was possible with no effort.

"I think I'd like that darlin'." His fingers found their way in-between yours, entwining your hands together.

Yeah, dinner sounded real nice.

#Hazbin Hotel #Hazbin Hotel Husk #Hazbin Hotel Husk X Reader #Husk X Reader #Hazbin Hotel X Reader #I HAVEN'T WRITTEN A FULL THING IN OVER A YEAR DON'T JUDGE TO HARSHLY PLS #I literally just cannot stop thinking about the sad grumpy cat man #He's a romantic at heart I know it my soul #But he's so jaded and world weary he doesn't trust nice things happening to him #If it wasn't obvious btw this takes place at the beginning of episode 4 #So Husk and Angel aren't friends yet #My Writing

[takeme-totheworld]

I don't have the energy right now to try to recreate the post I accidentally yeeted into the void, but I've been having lots of feelings about the ongoing fandom discussion of Aziraphale's decision at the end of S2.

I wasn't surprised by his decision at all. The minute he said "I think I might have misjudged the Metatron" I had an immediate, overwhelming feeling of "OH NO" because I saw exactly where the scene was going. And I was right! I felt zero surprise when the episode ended the way it did. (Devastation, yes. Surprise, no.)

Not only that, I was shocked at how shocked everyone else was. Because I grew up in a toxic religious community, of which I was a very devoted and enthusiastic member until young adulthood. So I have firsthand experience with that kind of indoctrination, and know exactly what a mindfuck it is.

Look, it's possible that there's something else going on under the surface, that Aziraphale was being coerced or that he was lying to Crowley in order to protect him or that he was trying to send Crowley a coded message and it failed or whatever. I'm not the creator of this story, I don't know. But what deeply distresses me is how often I've seen people say that it has to be one of those other things because if it isn't—if Aziraphale made his decision of his own free will because he actually believes that Heaven is the side of good, or at least that it once was and will be again if it can just solve the whole bad leadership problem—that means he's either unforgivably cruel or unforgivably ignorant or both.

It's a painful reminder for me, every time, of the fact that if you are the victim of this type of indoctrination, a lot of people will assume that it's your own fault for being gullible enough to believe such obviously ridiculous and wrong things. (Hint: it's only obvious from the outside! Because if you're on the outside, you are not having your mind directly and repeatedly fucked with!) Or that if you've been exposed to contradicting information, but you still continue to believe the things that were indoctrinated into you, it's because you're willfully choosing to stay clueless.

And that is just not how that works. Yes, some people cling to their indoctrination because they're genuinely happy with their lives as part of whatever institution, because it stacks the deck in their favor in some way, because they like having a respectable-sounding excuse to be bigoted jerks, or whatever. But there are also lots of people who have just legitimately had their minds twisted into pretzels by years or decades (or in Aziraphale's case, millennia) of mental conditioning and manipulation.

You can generally tell the difference between the two. At least, if you come from the kind of background I do, you can. But I imagine that even if you didn't, it's probably fairly obvious once you get to know people who is a shitty person using their religion as an excuse to be shitty, and who is a fundamentally decent person who has just had their mind so thoroughly fucked with that they've been manipulated into believing total bullshit.

And breaking the latter group out of their conditioning isn't as simple as just "show them information that contradicts what they've been taught," as much as we all wish it could be. It's a long, messy, and traumatic process. Your entire worldview falls apart and it's terrifying. You lose a community and an identity in the process. And there's often debilitating guilt afterward, about the person you were and the things you did and said while you were still in it.

So I watched the ending of S2 and my reaction was, "Well, of course Aziraphale said the things he said and made the decision he made, he's not free of his programming yet." It made all the sense in the world to me even as it was excruciatingly painful to watch, because there was a time in my life when I made decisions every bit as jaw-droppingly fucked up and incomprehensible to outside observers, decisions I look back on now and still want to shake my younger self by the shoulders and scream "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU??" And the end of S2 took me right back to that time in my life, when my head was so thoroughly messed up that I made terrible decisions that hurt myself and alienated the people around me, all while wanting nothing more in the world but to be a good person and do the right thing. And I imagine that when Aziraphale finally breaks out of his own indoctrination he is going to be horrified and devastated by a lot of what he did and said, not to mention the betrayal of how thoroughly he was manipulated and gaslit.

Yes, I am projecting hard onto Aziraphale. Yes, this is just my own theory about the final 15. But I don't see anything in the story that flat-out contradicts this reading of his character. And honestly, I care less about the veracity of my interpretation than I do about the fans saying things like "I can't take the final 15 at face value because it would make Aziraphale a terrible person," or "If he really believed that stuff he was saying, Crowley should make him beg and grovel for at least a century before taking him back" or even "if he really believed that stuff, he deserves to have Crowley never speak to him again."

Just...as a person who used to be heavily indoctrinated and has to live with the memory of who I was and what I believed back then for the rest of my life, it's incredibly distressing.

#good omens #good omens meta #good omens 2 spoilers #aziraphale #the final fifteen #religious trauma #religious indoctrination #religious deconstruction #oh look i said i had no energy and then i wrote this much anyway #i'm very normal about this

[tomlinfonda]

Inside me there are two wolves.

One who thinks that the writers are either stupid or cruel, and that the finale was so incomprehensibly bad that I shouldn't try to make sense of it. And that I should move on.

The other one is a subtext-and-metaphor-hungry beast that is manically obsessed with finding a reason, at least subtextually, for the incomprehensible mess they made out of these characters, especially Ted, in the finale.

Everyone is so right to point out that Ted in previous episodes would not have acted like this. I think the reason for the sudden regression in his character is Dottie.

That morning, full of smiles, in a good mood, Ted starts his walk to work.

He cheerfully strolls through the streets, saying hello to his neighbors, making chit-chat with them. He is (as Trent said it in 1x03) out there in the community. He is, more importantly, part of a community. Until suddenly-

"Mom?"

Dottie's arrival changes everything. Ted gets worse and worse throughout the episode. In the hotel room in Manchester, the football anthem "Blue Moon", with the haunting lyric "You saw me standing alone" plays over Ted's lonesome figure, in the shadows, depressed.

Juxtapose that with his first scene: the lively neighborhood and daylight.

At the end of the episode, his conversation with his (manipulative) mom hits him deep. He feels immense guilt over not being there for Henry. And he's been torn over this for the entire season.

His mom, and the way she acts, and the way she manipulates him, push him in the wrong direction: Kansas.

I think Ted has disassociated for most of the finale. But I also think that he is intentionally pushing people away. Maybe he thinks that this will make it easier for him to leave, maybe he thinks that this will make it easier for them to let him go. Maybe he just hates himself so much that he cannot accept their help. Maybe he feels guilty that they're showing him so much love, when he knows he will abandon them.

Either way, he quits. Something that he would not have done, even in season 1. So his regression goes farther than the first episode, deeper into his past. He goes from:

to having doubts on the plane about leaving without winning the whole fucking thing

but leaving anyway.

And this is one of the most curious things to me. Rebecca offers to bring Henry to him in England by helping relocate Michelle:

And yet, he refuses. So, sure, this is about being there for his son. But given the choice between his son with his beloved community, and his son without his beloved community, he chooses the latter.

I've heard the argument that we don't know for sure that Ted doesn't have a support system in Kansas. But from a narrative perspective, it's important that we haven't been shown that hypothetical support system at all. And given that he actually returns to Kansas without the one person who we know supported him before coming to England, it comes across as a terribly isolating situation.

So why would Ted choose to part from his found family, even though bringing his son into that family would be an option? My theory is that he just really fucking hates himself. I think he wants to punish himself, maybe for being away from Henry for so long, maybe for something else. I don't think he believes that he deserves love or even credit for how he helped the club.

I mean, Rebecca and Trent offer him exactly that this episode: credit for what the did for the club.

And he rejects them both, choosing instead to remove himself from their lives, to erase himself from the narrative.

I think he's lower mentally than we've seen him for a while.

I think he's in his dark forest.

So the plane departs and then lands. And Ted is back in Kansas, driven through the prosaic, picket-fenced, isolating, depressing American suburbs to the house where Henry and the ex-wife who doesn't love him are waiting for him.

And the light might be golden, and he might be reunited with his son. But as we close in on the last shot of the show, you can see his smile try to fight the sadness in his eyes and you know.

He's not happy.

#ted lasso #ted lasso spoilers

[cripplecharacters]

Hi! Sorry if this is a stupid question but I was wondering about representing disabilities/things in general that you don't have.

I always see people say that they want characters to be represented properly, and to show their disabilities and lives in an accurate way, but I also see people talk about how you shouldn't write about the struggles a POC/minority/person with a disability/etc. faces because you don't experience that and you're speaking over them or only using their story for "trauma porn" or whatever.

Maybe it's just because I'm autistic but I'm really not understanding how those two things coexist. How do I show how someone lives, especially with a disability that might be painful, without writing about the things they face?

Obviously it would be super weird if the character's entire personality was just "My life is awful because I'm so different, I can't do the things everyone else can, my life sucks."

But what about normal things that they struggle with? Like "Yeah I only have one arm, it's a pain in the ass to do dishes but it's not the end of the world." or "I have albinism so my depth perception is shit but whatever" or "It's fucking annoying when people stare at/judge me because I look different, but if they don't like it that's their problem, not mine lol."

Is the problem whether or not a characters ENTIRE story revolves around their disability? Using my own as an example:

A story, specifically, about how Funky Bungus, as an autistic person, lives in the world and what struggles he has due to his disability, VS a story where Funky Bungus is trying to stop two kingdoms from going to war and there's a short scene where he feels bad about not being able to make eye contract with people, before going back to the Kingdom War Drama.

I just want to use my stories as a way to educate people about disabilities and make people go "Hey, that character is like me!" or to make people think about their actions, like having a character complain about people staring at their scar/missing arm/etc. so maybe people will read it and go "Wow, I guess it IS rude when I don't mind my own business, from now on I won't stare at people."

Sorry if this got long and incomprehensible 😬

I guess the question is "How do I write about the struggles someone with a disability faces without coming across like I'm writing trauma porn or speaking over people" but I just have the Overexplain Everything So I'm Not Misunderstood Disorder™ lmao

I believe you have it right; the problem with many stories about disabilities written by non disabled authors often lies in when the story relies entirely on the disability.

It’s absolutely fine to write about the struggles a character faces — for an example with one of my disabilities, say a non-disabled author wrote about how a character kinda hates their chronic pain and wishes they didn’t have it. But otherwise there’s other stuff going on in the character’s life, like friends and family and hobbies, not just self-pity, and there’s other things going on in the plot, like maybe a mystery to solve or an Item to find or an adventure to go on or something.

That would be perfectly fine, and I’d love to read it actually, and really writing is kind of a balance of using what we know already and mixing it with things we haven’t experienced but have researched and/or thought about.

That’s how you show an authentic character with disabilities — they have struggles, things they can’t do or can’t do as well as others, but that’s not all there is to them. There’s things they enjoy doing, things they’re good at, people they spend time with and things they do.

Good intentions combined with research and knowledge (and good plots!) will make for good stories that feel authentic.

Hope this helps!

Mod Sparrow

Hi!

I think that there can be good stories that have disability/ableism as its primary focus, but they should be #OwnVoices (as in, made by people who experience said thing). That's largely because it often gets very specific and thus easy to misrepresent even if you have good intentions. Sometimes it can end up like "being disabled is so sad and everything is inaccessible, how tragic!" and end up pitying the character - rather than actually sympathizing with them - just because that nuance is missing. To use the same example as you did, "character complains about people staring at their scar sometimes" would be a completely normal way to include ableism as a part of life that does happen, while "character gets bullied for 300 pages for having a facial difference" would be in the torture porn category (when written by someone who doesn't have that experience).

I think that what Sparrow described is the best if you're not describing your own experiences. Including ableism as a thing that happens from time to time or as a tertiary focus is totally fine. That's how it is in real life - sometimes things do suck, but there's still a whole lot of other things that we do.

I think your desire to educate people is admirable and it should be very much doable with the solutions you presented! Good luck writing!

mod Sasza

#mod sparrow #anonymous #ableism #mod sasza

[gofancyninjaworld]

Blast is a mediocre hero

Talk about a controversial opinion! Well, I intend to defend it! With thanks to Eldrich_Void, who heard my rantings out.

This is not an opinion I rushed to. However, it has bothered me a lot that Blast seems to have a real track record for fucking things up. Almost all his endeavours seem to end up cursed in some way.

His evil partner, the ninja village horror he set up, and the way he seems intent on protecting the guy. His estranged son. The two heroes he saved both having serious complexes as a result. The monster he couldn't subdue.

Now that we get to see how he saw the situation on the ground, I think that Flashy Flash's accusing him of being unconscionably hesitant is right.

Under the circumstances, if I were Flash, I'd not trust that pressing that button would summon Blast in a manner timely enough to matter to me.

So, shall we see below the cut?

Before...

So, let's wind back all the way to chapter 165, back when Cosmic Garou landed. Remember then? He had time to pose for the benefit of the heroes gathered...

…then to look at himself, look at the heavens, and thank God for this gift of power.

Then Bang crawled up to Garou to try calling him back to his senses.

It took a while for the situation to ripen.

It's only in the next chapter, with Bang continuing to plead futilely with Garou, that Blast showed up.

Looks like he showed up as soon as he could.

So far, so good. It seemed that Blast came as soon as he could, given whatever else he was busy with. In the current timeline, Saitama came back from the future and punched Garou right when the latter looked up to thank God, so we thought, reasonably, that Blast never had a chance to appear. Case closed.

And looks like he didn't have an opportunity to show up.

But now we see more...

Several chapters have come and gone, and now we have a fuller picture of the event. And now we know that Blast was aware and on scene when Garou unleashed his gamma-ray burst:

Oh, so you were here.

We know too that Blast was on scene when Saitama appeared to punch out Cosmic Garou, before Bang even had a chance to crawl to Garou.

And there!

So Blast had had an opportunity to intervene earlier but did not take any action until after everyone was dropping dead and Bang was using the last of his energy to plead with Garou to come to his senses.

Okay, there's a place for observing the scene before you wade in so as not to make matters worse. As Drive Knight points out, rushing into things without proper analysis is a foolish thing. However, there's one thing I can't overlook. Even if Blast did not want to carelessly jump into a fight, the fact that he was able to reroute Garou's cosmic rays away from the heroes on the ground -- but had not done so originally... that is borderline unforgiveable.

Damn, if you could always do that, you should have done it earlier!

Let me be extremely clear. I don't hold Blast wholly responsible for restoring Empty Void. Yes, his rerouting the now free-floating 'God' powers as well as the cosmic rays to another dimension accidentally fed Void. That was careless, but not incomprehensible: thinking that one's evil ex-partner whom you left more dead than alive 15 years ago might be camping his nasty half-starved body on the other side of the dimensional hole you opened up in order to receive God's powers is not at the top of anyone's mind. What I am holding him responsible for is failing in the first duty of a hero: HELP PEOPLE!!

Now, let's go back to the original timeline. Even before he stepped up to support Bang, he could have rerouted those cosmic rays and saved most of the heroes. But he did not. I don't think he thought of it. Not a good hero instinct. But it gets worse.

Once it was clear that Garou had no intention of leaving the planet or ceasing to kill with his very presence, Genos stepped up, risking his life to buy Blast an opening.

Being a hero to the core. When people are in need, he is there.

However, when he was in danger and it was clear that Garou was fixing to kill him, did Blast step up? No. He just stood there, opened his mouth and bleated 'No.' [1]

And it gets worse still. It's not like Garou ripped Genos's head off to kill him instantly. Garou punched Genos through his center of mass. That was really bad: his upper torso is heavily protected for a reason, but that is not what killed him. We find out afterwards that Genos remembers seeing Garou pull his core out. Even that did not kill him: we've seen from back with the Giant Meteor that while losing his core's functionality will stop him being able to move his body, Genos's life support systems run independently of it. No, what killed him was Garou smashing him down so hard that his head and armor shattered and his blood splattered and ran into the ground, some of it being washed into long runnels by the fallout rain. So Blast stood there and watched while Garou not only struck Genos critically, but mutilated and maimed him to death. It was as if Garou was taunting him to try something heroic. And when Saitama finally arrived on the scene, Blast was just standing there. Uselessly.

Blast does not have the instincts of a hero.

Saitama rightly criticised himself for losing sight of what a hero's true duty was. I remember back when Sonic asked him who he was, he defined himself as the person who helps people when they are in trouble. [2] And he knows he fell short.

Blast appears to have totally lost sight of this fact. That's why his work is cursed.

A Hero Is More Than Mere Works

Without any doubt, Blast is strong. He is righteous but he's not looking at situations the way a hero should. He looks at things more as a warrior -- and it's not really helpful. He's forgotten the need to actually *be* a hero.

If I think about it a bit more, Blast was concerned for the health of the heroes on the field. Yet he did not protect them, even though he could have. He did not move them out of the way, even though he could have. He did not call on the rest of his compatriots to help him accomplish these goals, even though he could have and they would have helped.

I don't think that Blast is in danger of being deposed as the number 1 hero any time soon but man, it's as Flashy Flash says, his conduct is disappointing.

It's an insult to the heroes we've seen. I can't begin to imagine how bitterly Tatsumaki would be if she could have seen him. As the narrator said, she puts him on too high a pedestal. When I think of how hard she fought while never forgetting the helpless child, the civilians at risk, the rest of the strike team, and taking care of them even as it reduced her fighting efficiency, it's everything Blast ought to be. We saw so many heroes risk their lives to help others, even when they weren't of any strategic value.

Tatsumaki's determination to throw nobody under the bus, no matter how expedient, is the soul of heroism.

A hero is not merely their works. A hero is also what they symbolise. Amai Mask gets it: that's why he goes on and on about a hero being a beautiful symbol of peace. Saitama gets it: that's a big part of why he refused to out King because he symbolised being a hero so well. Mumen Rider lives it: even though he's not strong (by hero standards), he's greatly respected and people are inspired by him to do better in their lives.

What a hero is: someone who saves from danger, someone who reassures, someone who inspires.

Blast doesn't get it. When he had an opportunity to mitigate Garou's cosmic radiation and save lives, it did not occur to him. When he could have swallowed his pride and called back up to help him subdue Garou and save hero lives, it did not even cross his mind: he only saw a fight.

Since when was justice a matter of who can hit who harder?

And when he didn't prevail, he just stood there. When it was time for him to step up as a hero and actually take on some risk to try saving a life, he stood there, as hapless as any civilian. Even when it was hopeless, we didn't see the likes of Tank Top Master giving up. We didn't see Genos giving up on Tatsumaki, even when they were swarmed by Black Sperm. You don't give up on people.

No wonder his works are cursed.

How might the curse be lifted?

Some thoughts.

Never mind Tatsumaki: it's a rare hero who wouldn't be appalled. They all look up to Blast as the ultimate hero.

Fortunately, the only person who knows is Genos: it takes knowing how else things would have played out if Saitama hadn't arrived in the nick of time. Genos has no interest in trying to run down Blast: what little credibility he's got, he's used to tell Sicchi to ensure that Saitama got called up if Blast came up with anything.

Unfortunately, Sicchi hasn't passed on that message to Blast and Saitama's been allowed to go dawdling away. Even more unfortunately, what Sicchi has told Blast about Genos is that he's a terror who impedes access to Saitama. This may have terrible consequences down the line.

Talk about leaving out the important part. That 'is that so?' gives me chills.

You know how some readers are disappointed that the MA arc did not end with Saitama lecturing Garou about the importance of not compromising one's goals? It seems to me that Blast needs that lecture a lot more badly than Garou ever needed it in any version. He's forgotten that the point of heroism is the people you help *first* before it is about glorious fights. Important as it is to fight, losing sight of the human need in front of you is a hiding to nothing.

Or, if you want to put it differently: Saitama is likely to have a reason to confront Blast in the future.

Someone needs to hear this message and it's not the truculent teenage tearaways.

I am going to be there for it with a giant tub of ice cream!

Asides

[1] What was it that Awakened Garou said back in the WC: 'When facing an imminent threat against a monster, all you do is open your mouth and start babbling. It's an easy kind of job.'? (ch 85). It has applied very brutally to Blast here.

[2] In case you need a reminder:

That's the right thing to be. Saitama's been struggling since he forgot the brief a bit.

#OPM #meta #long #Blast #heroism #Blast may be the number one hero but he's got a lot of work to do to be a top class hero #I hope Saitama sets him straight #preferably before he makes needless trouble for Genos -- or anyone else #His help isn't very helpful

[psychewritesbs]

Chapter 251: Decisive Battle in the Unhabited, Demon-Infested Shinjuku, Part 23--Megumi is back!! aaaaand it's not looking good

Well. In case you've been living under a rock, Megumi is back and everyone and their mom knows about it because Twitter demonstrated to be full of people who lack reading comprehension, basic human compassion, and an understanding of how trauma fucks with the mind. Only the latter is excusable, since this is domain-specific knowledge that I don't expect others to be aware of.

The number of times I've read the word "bitch" next to Megumi's name is appalling to say the least.

So... yeah... happy jjk-Sunday? Sorry, I wish I had a more upbeat intro to my ramble for this chapter but man... this fandom is something else and a lot of the comments about Megumi were just so...

Anyways let's taco'bout Megumi and share Megumi-love under the cut.

What is this irritating feeling?

Why does this matter? If you haven't seen me mention this over on the twt already, Sukuna makes a small gesture that is unequivocally Megumi body-language in chapter 248:

Megumi typically places his hand over his shoulder when he's stressed (although I have to confirm he only does it when stressed):

It isn't just the body language that is significant, but rather the way of thinking itself. I didn't catch this myself, but Ant and Danchou did, so I might not do it justice when explaining it.

This way of thinking is very Megumi-like in how he second-guesses himself. More than second-guessing, however, it also feels like a nascent sense of consciousness. All of this obviously presents a very interesting dilemma because, as Sukuna recognizes, sharing a body with Yuji has changed him.

I think we all knew Yuji or Megumi would be changed by Sukuna--because that is how Gege directed our attention by having Gojo mention Yuji could inherit Sukuna's CT by the mere fact that they shared a body. I know I also assumed that Megumi would maybe learn from Sukuna using 10s. But I also know I never even considered that the opposite could be true: Yuji and Megumi could also change Sukuna.

So, the way I see it, with that hand gesture, we have what appears to be Megumi's sense of self bubbling up from under the surface and changing Sukuna.

What's interesting to me is how subtle this is. Sukuna notices this as an "irritating feeling" that is incomprehensible to someone like him who rejects aspirational ideals.

So, part of what I love about this is that sharing a body with Yuji has deepened Sukuna's own experience of reality.

Sukuna is all ego, right? Ego is everything that is concrete...

So I have to wonder how much of this is also Megumi's own emotional turmoil given what we saw this chapter...

Wake up, Megumi!

Ok so let's do a quick recap...

We also know Tsumiki is integral to how Megumi sees himself. This is very important because Megumi basically makes her his raison d'être. In other words, his whole identity is framed around protecting her during the Culling Game. Aside from the obvious shock that it was to realize Yorozu was pretending to be Tsumiki the whole time, which meant Tsumiki was dead, the issue with Megumi was that he made Tsumiki his identity.

And if there is one thing we have seen happen time and time again in jjk is how being limited by your self-ascribed identity comes back and bites you in the ass.

So in Megumi's case, what happens when his whole identity was framed around a single outcome, and then he realized that outcome turned out to be a failure right from the start?

An identity crisis or basically no sense of self.

So what does he have to live for now?

What reason does he have for living if the person whom he had wrapped his identity around is now gone? This is what created the opening for Sukuna to possess him.

What's crazy about this is that even when he was weakened, he still put up a fight and elicited a "Fushiguro Megumi" from Sukuna. Sukuna had probably already considered the importance of the bath, but this likely solidified the need to have Megumi marinate in cursed energy. Like... this is what it took to bury Megumi's consciousness. Also, this is important because we're talking about marinating in negative emotions "to be near evil".

Now, it's midnight and I got to get to sleep, but the way jjk uses "evil" is not cliché at all, but almost like as a metaphor for chaos, hyper individuality, and instinct. I started writing about Naoki Urasawa's Monster, so hopefully I can get around to explaining the whole good vs. evil dichotomy (which is one of my favorite topics ever) soon, but this is all I'll say for now. I'll come back to this in a sec.

Next, Megumi's own Cursed Technique (which we know is tied to the brain and personality) and hands are used to kill Tsumiki's body and Gojo while Megumi can only observe.

And then, Gojo accidentally blitzes Megumi's soul with his technique.

Like are we for real expecting Megumi to just stand up and start throwing hands after all he's been through? What is wrong with people???!!!!!!!!!!! Have some compassion ffs.

Unfortunately, this isn't just about a lack of reading comprehension and compassion, it's also about lack of domain knowledge. This is Trauma with a BIG T we're talking about, and Trauma has been shown to limit how you see yourself and how you are able to think.

So, of course Megumi is distraught. The writing in this is so damn realistic.

Now, Gege has been paying special attention to Megumi's body language, and while the rest of the fandom is laughing at the "Mahoraga hands", I'm looking at how tightly closed those fists are. Even the way he's curled up in a tight ball... Almost like he's about to blow up from sheer pressure.

Quite the contrast to the last time we saw him in a similar position but with more relaxed body language.

And remember, he marinated in cursed energy so that he would be closer to "evil", right? Plus getting blitzed?

Listen, I am ready for Yuji's pep talk, I am sure it will be generational, but right now, I don't think Megumi is ready (or maybe even able) to hear it. Again, because Trauma with a big T.

Plus Sukuna loosing control of Megumi's body? You kind of have to wonder why Megumi's energy has been crescendoing to the point that Sukuna would be affected by it and not only think like Megumi, but also use body language that is unequivocally Megumi.

This feels like a Megumi is about to snap.

This is starting to feel ominous precisely because he's marinated in these self-destructive emotions for so long. Emotions which surely intensified as he saw the consequences of his inability to take action.

But then again... I was expecting a blood bath out of the culling game and it was everything but so 🤣 idk what to tell y'all. As predictable as he is, Gege is unpredictable af.

Ok I think those are my main thoughts? WHAT ABOUT Y'ALL?!!!!!! What are we thinking? What are the theories? oh mai gah.

Even if I'm responding to asks slowly, I'm still reading them as they come in guys. Sorry, school + work is kicking my ass because well... in typical Megumi fashion I haven't taken responsibility for bringing out my best.

That said, I go off to sleep 🫡 Thanks for reading!

#jjk ch 251 #god i love jujutsu kaisen #does anyone remember my Megumi tag? 😭 #not Gege edging Megumi fans #megumi kaisen

[unforth]

I've debated multiple times doing something like cataloging racist microaggressions I see in the danmei tags and making a post about it. I generally see at least one a day, and I block the worst offenders. But in the end I'm a white USAdian and it's really not my place. I'm sure I don't even catch them all.

It's a real issue and I've seen a lot of anecdotal evidence that it drives Chinese and Chinese diaspora fans out of participating in Westernized Tumblr danmei fandom, and that's utterly unacceptable.

One of the most common ones I see is how people talk about the character names. For example:

[Image ID: screen cap of a text post. It reads: "This all came about when I was looking at SVSSS memes on Ao3 and went like "My friends nor coworkers would get heads or tails of what in the world these alphabet smash assortment mean let alone know that they're referencing Soecific individuals or novels." End ID]

THIS IS A MICROAGGRESSION. For fuck's sake, people, acting like the names are ridiculous, incomprehensible, outside of what "friends and colleagues" could comprehend, is RACIST AS FUCK. And I see people say stuff like this constantly.

"But I only meant I was struggling--" THEN WHY DID YOU ASSUME OTHER PEOPLE WOULD STRUGGLE THE SAME WAY? STILL RACIST

"But I could say that about the abbreviations in any--" BUT YOU SAID IT ABOUT THIS FANDOM SPECIFICALLY AND CONTEXT FUCKING MATTERS AND IN THIS CONTEXT IT'S RACIST.

"But it was on my personal blo--" LOOK IF YOU WANT TO BE RACIST ON YOUR PERSONAL BLOG I CAN'T STOP YOU BUT IF YOU TAG ORIGINAL POSTS INTO MAIN FANDOM TAGS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WILL SEE YOU AND KNOW YOU ARE RACIST.

The person who posted the above, when I said it was a microaggression, demanded to know how. So, for them and everyone else in this fucking fandoms, I present what any of them could have learned by googling the term. The definition of microaggression:

(Source)

[Image ID: a dictionary entry for the term "microaggression." It reads: "noun. A comment or action that subtle and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member if a marginalized group (such as a racial minority)." End ID]

What that screen cap says about names is literally the textbook definition of a microaggression.

Chinese names are just names. The way Chinese sounds is just the way a language sounds. Cultivation is inherently based in Eastern culture and cannot be completely divorced from that context even for a cute AU. I'm so tired of seeing posts saying things like "MXTX just stole the plot of (insert Western myth/folktale/fable here)". Do yall realize how fucking racist you're being? Do yall realize how fucking racist even I've probably been by accident because I'm also a dumb white USAdian?

I've been holding this post in for like a year, but the person who posted that screen cap, who doubled-down by posting a non-apology to all the MXTX main tags, and who acted like I'd said something insane when I told them it was a microaggression...they're apparently my last fucking straw.

DO BETTER, WHITE WESTERN DANMEI FANDOM. We all need to learn and listen and knock it the fuck off already. Me included.

Please, please listen when people say "check yourself." Seeing this stuff everyday is exhausting even for ME and I'm not even in the marginalized group. Chinese people (including diaspora) who stay in the fandom here despite the constant deluge are strong as fuck and they do not deserve this and, as a white person, I'm so so sorry white people are like this.

#unforth rambles #drama #i should not post this #i dont want the drama #but ive seen so many posts by chinese fans ignored #maybe theyll listen to a white person which of course listening to me and not them is itself another fucking microaggression #god im so sorry #ive been debating tagging the fandoms but i dont think i can face the potential consequences #im so tired #but feel free to reblog it i guess

[thefandomlesbian]

37 + wilson for the ask game :)

OUCH we're going right for the throat, huh--

This is probably going to be utterly incomprehensible and I am not responsible for any ramifications that arise from answering this question. Allow the word-barf to commence!

#37: What they really think about themselves:

This is such a difficult question to answer because Wilson is a man shrouded in layers upon layers of hiding. This is someone who constantly begs the people around him to be vulnerable with him, to trust him, while simultaneously refusing to ever offer his own vulnerability. And he's good at it. He's good at passing himself off as being close to someone while they never know he has a brother.

House is all walls topped with barbed wire fences and he makes no claims otherwise. Wilson on the other hand is a shimmering oasis. He's fresh water in the desert with shade and fruit. He's nothing but a refreshing illusion. Wilson can be incredibly human while simultaneously more detached than anyone knows. This is aided by the fact that he's a social chameleon, matching whoever he's with, and a natural conscience mirror for the people around him. House calls him out on this multiple times in S5, specifically for being a chameleon who meets the environmental needs of everyone else socially; House asks him, "Who are you at your core?" and then goes on to assert that he thinks Wilson has no core, that his locus of identity has been completely erased in his desperation to meet the needs of others.

Even in S6 when House demands that Wilson choose something to place in their home that he likes... he picks something he knows House likes. "You asked me to tell you who I am, and I am someone who loves you. This is the only answer I know how to give." That's typically the fandom read, but it's important to recognize that this attitude is not unique to House coming from Wilson. He does the same thing with Amber, with Grace (the cancer patient he cares for), with Cuddy during the Rachel adoption arc, with Tucker, with Sam. His existence pivots on his service to other people.

His desperate need to be needed, as House calls it, has a flipside: Wilson can't need anything. From anyone, ever. He can't be vulnerable, which is why he hides himself so effectively. To unveil weaker parts of himself, it would require his loved ones to serve him, to help him, and Wilson cannot cope with the idea of inconveniencing the people in his life. I have written meta in the past on the whole cast's gross mistreatment of Wilson during the Tritter arc. He has no money, no car, living in a hotel that presumably expects weekly payments, no way to buy food or keep himself housed. Everyone attacks him when he finally folds, but none of those people were there to support him, even though his situation was exclusively caused by House lying to and manipulating him. But the thing is... Wilson wouldn't have let them help him. Think of his friendship with Cuddy, how she reveals that she treats him as a confidant (she told him and only him that she slept with her father's best friend) and trusts him not to repeat things to House--but when he arrives to work late from riding the bus, she didn't even know his car was impounded. That sort of friendship is the type you can call to come get you! You don't need to take the bus! Wilson would never dream of reciprocating the relationship she has with him. He's incapable of inconveniencing someone, even to ask for a ride to work or to spot him a five for a sandwich in the cafeteria, even from people he's very close to.

And this all comes to a head in the cancer arc. Wilson is incapable of being needy to the point that he's ready to undergo high dose chemotherapy alone in his own home in a nonsterile environment with no one to monitor him or check on him. In his words: "I am not going to die slowly in a hospital bed under fluorescent lighting with people stopping by to gawk and lie about how I look. Even a small chance of that happening is too big a chance for me." It's funny that later in this episode he says that he wanted a wife and children to care for him, when we know he wouldn't ever allow himself to be so weak in front of his loved ones. House acknowledges this in the same episode.

Wilson's need to serve and his fearful avoidance of being vulnerable all point to an incredibly abysmal sense of self-worth. He says that House doesn't like himself but admires himself, and I don't even think Wilson does that much--as he consistently tries to lie on the sword for everyone around him. RSL says Wilson is the saddest man in New Jersey, and I would agree with that. Wilson has deep-seated issues with his self-esteem. As a wise YA novel once said, we accept the love we think we deserve, and the only love Wilson ever accepts is House's. In S3 after House upends his entire life, it takes one genuine apology to buy him back, because House's love is the only one Wilson knows how to handle. It's the only one he can take without feeling unworthy. All coming to the S8 conclusion: House makes the ultimate sacrifice for Wilson, and Wilson (in spite of having just lambasted House publicly for ostensibly ditching him) argues against it. Wilson says he's not worth the sacrifice. He would rather die alone than have House give up his life for him.

(I could delve into a whole follow-up wrt Wilson's romantic relationships as a gay!Wilson truther, but I've already gone too far and made this unnecessarily long.)

so in short: I wouldn't say Wilson hates himself explicitly, he would consider that vain and self-centered, but he cannot exist outside of serving others. If his utility is gone, he is pointless. I already wrote a long meta on my take on Wilson's suicidality, but that line of thought follows here, too. Wilson thinks his value as a person stems from his ability to care for others and will die sooner than become someone who needs to be cared for.

#house md #james wilson #hilson #meta #spencer speaks

[animentality]

Not to send you an essay but do you ever think about how Gortash was the only person in the whole game who didn’t want anything from Durge but Durge. Just them, as a person. Like yes he wanted the netherstone, and wanted the alliance. But what I mean is there were no prereqs for Durge as a person. Every other companion, every other NPC even, wanted Durge to either resist and refuse Bhaal or pursue power and claim their birthright. Everyone had their two cents for what Durge should or shouldn’t do irrespective of how Durge actually felt about it. It made any friendship or love offered to them conditional, even in the case of their companions. It was always “I’ll stand by you, IF”. To be fair, not necessarily unreasonable for the normal person to set boundaries on murder and such lol. But my point is that they all wanted something from Durge first.

But Gortash. OF ALL PEOPLE. Gortash didn’t want anything from them but them. Even for Durge’s biggest supporters in either moral direction - Jaheira, Sceleritas, etc - it was not that simple. Yet Gortash’s friendship with Durge (and to be clear I think they were so in love but I say friendship here to emphasise that even on top of or irrespective of any romance, they were genuinely friends too!) was unconditional. “This changes nothing” is a line I know we all talk about to death but god. That is genuinely unconditional. It is!

(If we want to push the delusion a bit further, that’s a declaration of the unconditional nature of their alliance, which can be chalked up to nothing less than real and honest love as far as I’m concerned. He has no other reason to not care that Durge just said yeah the entire divine commandment part of this mission is in the pot. But Gortash was like I Do Not Care! And he meant it! “Oh yes incomprehensibly powerful beings came to us in our dreams and asked us to do all of this in their names in the first place, and you just pissed on that, but no biggie!” Same short-tempered petty bastard who kicks you hard in the shin with his metal-toe boot if you accidentally hit him. Who straight up attacks you if you show up to his office without any of the netherstones and say you forgot them or whatever. Guy who just kills you if you GIVE HIM THE STONES LOL. But he doesn’t care even slightly that Durge said fuck off to the lord of murder who ordered this whole plot to start? Doesn’t yell, doesn’t ask Durge what were they thinking, just goes oh ok. He makes me insane btw)

I’m also painfully aware that Durge will never find that kind of unconditional support with anyone else, ever. I just feel like this would haunt my resistance Durge for the rest of his days tbh.

(And like. My resistance Durge loves Jaheira, she’s the parent he never had and she means the world to him post-canon, he follows her around like a lost puppy because ultimately he is one but I have to wonder if he would lie awake at night with the niggling thought that maybe what he has with Jaheira would not survive if he acted any other way. Plus the thought that Gortash knew him at his absolute worst, and loved him anyway. And maybe that wasn’t a GOOD thing, morally - a GOOD person shouldn’t have loved him like that, right? - but he loved him anyway. I don’t think my Durge would ever ever get over it. Especially with the fact that he can’t even remember 99% of their relationship. Gortash can’t ACTUALLY haunt Durge cause Bane is busy using his soul as a stress ball but in every metaphorical way. Durge is haunted.)

Tldr Gortash is the guy who says “just be yourself <3” and I think that’s beautiful

You know, you hit the nail on the head.

Of course it's not unreasonable to expect your friends and lovers to stipulate, that they will only love you as long as you don't go on a murderous rampage.

That's totally reasonable, that's normal, I agree with it on principle.

But. But.

As you said.

Gortash loved you even when you went on a murderous rampage.

I am obsessed with him, because he loved the dark urge without reservation, believing in their ability to control their urge, but also admiring their intelligence and their talents.

He knew what they were from the start, and he accepted it!

And he could still love them!

I just don't think anyone else in the entire goddamn game could say that!

And that's why I'm obsessed with Durgetash.

You get me.

It's about loving someone for who they are, and not what they are to you.

They were never just the Chosen of Bhaal, whom he must work with, not to him.

Never.

They were never the Bhaalspawn, the savage dark urge, the scourge of Faerun.

They were themselves. And he liked that.

Guys, he LIKED them.

#baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #dark urge #enver gortash #durgetash

[androgynousblackbox]

How I Met Your Father. 5 [Appleradio, Radioapple]

A03 link

“What do you mean go to the hotel?” Lucifer had asked as those words were truly incomprehensible, washing up the dishes and then passing it over to Alastor to dry them up.

“Our daughter is losing her mind” said Alastor, choosing his words. “I think it would be good for her to see that you support her project.”

“But I thought I was doing that already? I gave her Keekee and all the money she could want to use on it.”

Alastor barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“If that was all she wouldn't have asked me to convince you to come pay a proper visit.” He didn't mention why Charlie wanted the visit in the first place. They could all talk about that bridge when they came to it. Going to a technically new place on his humanoid form was already a big stressor to on top of that mention anything about addressing Heaven directly. “She wants to see you there. As yourself, so she can show you around. Isn't that the most normal thing for a child to want?”

“I don't know… ”

Alastor finished drying up the plate on his hand and put it aside on the rack, going up to place his hands over Lucifer's shoulders. He massaged them a little until he could finally sense the devil releasing the tension that coming out had brought.

“It will be fine, love. You already saw the hotel once, there is nothing scary about it. Just think of how happy it could make her. We both will be right there with you.”

Lucifer sighed deeply, closing his eyes.

“Charlie won't want to present her father on another form, does she?”

“No, darling.”

“I could be a cute panda. Everyone loves pandas.”

Alastor didn't even dignify that with a response. Lucifer rubbed his eyes and turned around, supporting his weight against the sink. His eyes were fixated on the bowtie of Alastor and started playing with it, as if to fix it.

“Dear.”

Lucifer groaned, letting his head fell back.

“I know, I know. I… I need some time to prepare myself first" he let out a long, sustained sigh. "I will be there. Can you give me an hour?"

"An hour? Are you sure, darling?"

Alastor wasn't expecting such a short timeframe. Lucifer heard the surprise in his voice and shrugged.

"Yeah. If I postpone it any longer then it will only be harder later and I don't want to keep Charlie waiting forever" Lucifer hugged himself, his shoulder slouched. "Can you go and tell Charlie that? I will be there."

"I can go with you if you wish" offered, brushing his fingers against the red cheek.

"No, I… I don't want to stay glued at your side the entire time. Not if it's in front of her new friends."

"I will kill them if they say a word" promised without hesitation. He was not going to let his husband be mocked in front of him. That was his privilege, no one else. "They are going to know what is to be turn inside out if they disrespect me or my family."

Lucifer gave out a small laugh, looking up.

"Don't kill the friends of our daughter" asked, turning his head to kiss the palm of Alastor and then nuzzled it. "I will be fine. You are right. I already sorta know the place. I should know already that nothing is going to happen."

Alastor didn't know if he was going to keep thinking the same when Charlie talked to him about what she really wanted. But between a anxious daughter that was losing sleep over impending doom and an also anxious husband who struggled with going out home, he really didn't had many options.

"I will be there with you if you need me" Alastor kissed his forehead and then hummed satisfied when Lucifer pulled him down to connect their lips. "You will be fine" said as they shared the same breath, the smell of Lucifer's recent dessert still sweet.

Lucifer nodded, bringing him closer by the hip as he kissed him again. Alastor knew where this was going and if he gave his husband the chance, they were just going to procrastinate all over the kitchen. Normally he wouldn't mind at all, but Charlie needed the update. It had been years since he ever saw her so stressed out.

"We will wait for you, love" said, giving one quick kiss before he called onto his shadows to take him out Lucifer's embrace.

Lucifer stayed with his arms stretched out, hugging nothing, and grunted.

"Fine. But now I need a cold shower."

"That is the spirit, darling! I will go tell our daughter the news!"

Alastor gave him a last wink before he teleported away from the man, ignoring the pout on his husband. He would live and if everything turned out alright, Alastor would compensate him later anyway.

When he came back to the hotel and told Charlie about their new visitor, the princess of hell positively squealed.

"Really?! You convinced him to contact Heaven, dad?!"

"I convinced him to come here and talk to you directly" pointed out Alastor. "After that, I will leave things to you, dear. That is what being a manager entails. Don't worry, I am sure you will do a wonderful job."

Charlie blinked, taken aback, but just as quickly her enthusiasm returned.

"Yes, you are right! I can do this. Alright, everyone!" called to the sinners on the livingroom, applauding to get their attention. "My other dad is coming to pay a visit and we have to present this place in the best way that we can! Let's make him feel welcome so he will hear my case!"

The enthusiasm of the other sinners was not exactly matched, but they still moved anyway. Niffty did her best to clean up the area jumping from place to place with her supplies. Sir Pentious went to prepare some snacks, while Angel and Husk, per Charie's suggestion, went to make some banners to hang. Alastor likewise prepared some of the favorite tunes of Lucifer on their rockola, hoping that would help him to keep relaxed.

When everything was set up and done, the doorbell rang and Charlie went to open the door. Lucifer reacted just as he always did whenever he haven't seen Charlie since the day before, like it had been ages since the last time they were together, crushing her on a bear hug that left Charlie breathless. Vaggie received the same treatment as well.

"It's so nice to see your hotel for the very first time, sweetie!" said Lucifer particularly loud. "Yep, this totally… unique style of decoration is something I never seen before in my entire life! So new for me!"

God damn it, Lucifer.

Alastor didn't know what else was he expecting. He squeezed his brow between his fingers, wondering how the father of lies could be so bad at them, before noticing that Lucifer had stopped right in front of him, reclining on his staff.

"Oh, and who is this cutie right here?" asked his husband with a cheeky grin.

Alastor barely contained his laughter. What an idiot.

"I am nothing but the hotelier of this magnificent establishment, your Majesty. At your service" Two could play that game.

"Hotelier, huh? Do you offer room service?" Lucifer's eyebrows went up and down.

"That is not part of my job description, no."

Lucifer's smile only grew more. Alastor couldn't say that he didn't like it when he got that mischiveious look on his face, like seeing a trace of the devil that he truly was.

"How about you pay me a visit when your shift is over? I can make it worth your time."

Alastor now chuckled openly, regarding the man with a half lid look.

"Your Majesty, that is so highly inappropriate. I am on work hours here."

"Oh, that is okay, babe. My daughter is the owner of this place, I can get away with everything" Lucifer winked an eye and Alastor had to look away because this whole stupid thing was working on him.

"Papa!" Charlie wasn't as happy, looking equal parts frustrated and flustered. "Stop flirting with dad" added in a whisper that everyone could still hear.

Lucifer giggled to himself. Alastor took a step forward and let his hand rest on the back of Lucifer's neck, casually brushing his thumb against the skin. He could percieve some tension there, but only some and he hoped that was a good sign. Just in case he squeezed a bit the skin there to let Lucifer know he counted with his support.

"I am sorry, sweetie, I couldn't resist" said the king, putting an arm around Alastor's waist. It had been a while since they had an opportunity to act this way in public so he could understand that much. He also liked to reclaim his husband in front of others, make them know this man was already taken. "You prepared all of this for me? Aww, sweetie…" said just as one of the banner fell into the floor, taking a couple of balloons with it, "you shouldn't have bothered."

"Everyone did actually!" Charlie grabbed the arm of her father, separating her parents as Alastor chuckled, following behind. "We were all so excited to receive you today. These are our current residents, Sir Pentious and Angel Dust. They did some incredible work since being here! They are totally on the way to redemption!"

Sir Pentious gave a reverence, victorian man that he was, as Angel Dust offered up his hand for a shake. Followed up by the sound of her tiny steps, Niffty came running to stay in front of Lucifer.

"Oooh, you are just as pretty as Alastor said!" commented with a giggle, rubbing her own face. The eye of Alastor twitched when Lucifer looked over at him. Once. He had said that once. "I bet you can be very scary when you want to! Does Alastor like to be forced too? He won't tell me."

"Uh…"

"Okay, so that was Niffty, our maid!" Charlie dragged Lucifer away.

Nifty was about to chase him to demand her answer when Alastor grabbed her by the back of her dress.

"Niffty, dear, what did we say about badgering my husband? Only I get to badger him."

Niffty looked at him with the deceitful innocence of pure morbid curiosity.

"Do you like him when he is scary?"

Yes, but that wasn't the point, the time, the place or the person he would say that to. In other circumstances he found the unhinged character of the tiny woman rather amusing, when he wasn't the target of it.

"Dear, I think I saw a bunch of bugs on the corner that need to be taught a lesson. You think you can handle that? I think I heard them say that they were feeling rather good for their future move here."

"Oh, are they happy?" Niffty took some scissor from behind her back, her attention succesfully redirected. "I bet I can fix that! I will cut their legs one by one."

"I bet you can, dear. Off you go" Alastor let her on the floor again as she ran off, chasing her target. Ah, he could never stay mad at her for long when she was so cute filled with murderous intention. Like a ravenous bunny.

Lucifer now was shaking the hand of Husk.

"Yeah, of course I remember you. You were the best babysitter for Charlie we ever had. She actually got to sleep early with you!"

The fact that their options were between Husk and a bunch of personified sins who didn’t have the first idea of how to take care of a child was not mentioned.

"She was a good kid, it wasn't difficult" Husk avoided looking at the king as he scratched his neck. He clearly wasn't used to compliments. "Good to see you again, sir."

"Who is sir? Come on, we have known each other for years. You can call me by my name. I gotta say, didn't know you were working here too" pointed out throw gritted teeth, looking back to Alastor.

"It just never came out" said, shrugging, and truly didn't. "But isn't it lovely? Charlie gets to be surrounded by even more people looking out for her."

For a moment both Husk and Lucifer shared the same arched eyebrow.

"Right" Lucifer smiled to Husk. "So, how it has been?"

Husk made some vague gesture in the air, as if he didn't have enough time to tell all of his grievances, and then deflated.

"It could have been worse" admitted finally and Angel Dust laughed.

"We love you too, Husky!"

"Nobody was talking to you, Angel."

Lucifer laughed, patting the cat's arm.

"I see you are still the grumpy man I knew. And…" said, grabbing his by the shoulder to separate them a bit from Charlie, "how has my little girl being doing her work here? Be honest with me, come on."

"I mean" Husk looked over at Alastor, who did nothing but smile wider at him, and that was enough to make him swallow a bit harder. "She… is really trying. Everyone is trying here, sir. Lucifer. That is honestly the best I could ever tell you. Angel and Pentious, they both have been doing better since coming here, I think" he said that, avoiding looking at the two residents.

Lucifer tilted his head to a side.

"Are you in it for the redemption too, Husk?"

"Me? No, no, your Majesty, that is not my thing. But I still got eyes so, you know. Just making an observation."

"Thanks for the input, Husker! Deeply appreciated!" interrupted Alastor, taking the shoulders of Lucifer to separate him from Husk, whose only response was to roll his eyes. It wasn't the first time something like that happened. "My darling, I think we are owed a tour through this magnificent and well decorated hotel of our daughter. Isn't that right, my little fawn?"

Lucifer didn't miss the emphasis on the first "my" and he contained a chuckled through biting his lips. A slight blush on his face gave Alastor the immediate impulse to bite his cheek. But that would have to be for later.

"Yes, of course" Charlie nodded, dedicating a smile to Husk as if to thank him for his words. "Come with me, papa."

Lucifer took the arm that his daughter was offering, smiling up to her as she exposed everything that she had been doing with the place. Alastor gave a final smirk to Husk, who turned to keep drinking from his bottle, before teleporting through his shadow to follow his family.

Charlie talked about all the activities they had done and the progress of the residents. Alastor mostly tuned out because none of that was news to him, keeping his attention mostly on Lucifer. He seemed to be doing fine for now, fidgeting with his hand at the side that Charlie wasn't touching by pulling the fabric of his pocket. Alastor step up to place his hand again at the back of his neck and he was happy to see that made him relax a bit more.

They were walking around the third floor, showing off the second biggest room of the hotel, when Alastor heard Husk calling him. Mimzy was downstair looking for him.

"Who?" asked Lucifer.

"An old lady friend, darling. We actually met in life before coming here" Alastor rubbed his back. "I will leave you in the capable hands of our little fawn for now." He didn’t bothered counting Vaggie. She didn’t counted.

"Does she know?" asked Lucifer as Alastor was about to turn away.

"Nope, she is the worst gossip I know! Literally incapable of keeping a secret to save her life, ha ha! But such a fun company otherwise. So if you go downstair, we literally just met today, my love" added, taking a kiss with him before they had to be strangers. "Charlie, your beautiful antlers have nothing to do with my own. You were just blessed with them by chance."

"Alright, dad" Charlie was thankfully used to this escenario, so include another person around with to pretend being unrelated wasn't a big ask for her.

"That is my girl!" Alastor closed the door, walking next to Husk. After a while on them being on silence, he grinned wider. "Is there anything in your mind, dear friend?"

"I think we should just kick her out."

"Oh? Do you?"

Husk tensed up for a moment. He was walking on thin ice and he knew it.

"You know her pattern. She only appears when she needs something out of you and it's never just a small favor with her."

"Well, then that it's only all the more fortunate that it's me that we are talking about" Alastor searched his glove on his pocket and put it on. "Don't worry, I know to handle it."

Husk frowned, letting a moment of silence pass by before he spoke again.

"I don't understand why it has to be a secret. If anyone tries any shit then you can just have Lucifer kicking their…" he didn't finish the phrase when Alastor's smiling face was on his front, neck brocken to look down to him. The presence of the green magic put the hairs on his arms straight, as if the static was forcing them up.

"You seem to have a serious misunderstanding of how things work around here, old pal" The smile of Alastor looked like a knife ready to stab. "You aren't here to question me on how I decide to protect my family. You are here to keep your mouth shut and serve drinks for the hotel of my daughter, for as long she needs you to. Anything else is pushing it already. Are we clear?"

Husk knew the answer already. Of course he knew.

"Like water."

"Wonderful" Alastor came back to his casual disposition like nothing happened. "Then let us not keep a lady waiting any longer!”

On the lobby, Mimzy had already served herself a drink at the bar and was in the middle of drinking it up when she saw the familiar shadow of Alastor forming from the ground.

“Alastor! You tall handsome rascal! Where have you been hiding? Come here!” The woman squeezed him and Alastor did just the same. “When was the last time you showed your face around the club? I keep passing by and everyone is too modern, they don't know the classic moves like you and me.”

“Oh, I have been a little busy with my new job” commented as Mimzy sat at one of the stools.“Going to sleep early doesn't mesh well with the night club life, unfortunately.”

Mimzy snorted at the start of a laugh and then stopped when she saw that Alastor was not about to join her.

“Wait, seriously? You taking this hotel thing for real? I thought everyone was joking when I heard the rumors that now you were wasting your days on this dump from the Morningstar kid. What was her name anyway, Chrisly? Carla? Something with C.”

Alastor's eyes squinted at that, but otherwise kept his posture just the same.

“Charlie” said, making a slight gesture for Husk to serve him a small shot of his favorite drink. He could take his alcohol well enough and he felt he needed a little cushion against his own instincts to defend his daughter. When he had the first zip, he could relax again. “Now you see, the rumors were true. This is my new home.”

“And what are you actually doing here? Cleaning up toilets and singing songs about friendship and hope?” Mimzy put her finger close to her mouth, pretending to vomit.

“That among other things.”

Mimzy smirked with the side of her mouth, like waiting for the punchline of a joke that never came. When Alastor didn't elaborate, she huffed.

“Fine, don't tell a girl what you have been plotting in that deer head of yours.”

“Plotting? Me? Couldn't it be that I have seen the light and want to make a change for the better? So little faith you have in your old pal Alastor? I could be redeemed too, you know.”

They looked at each other for a second before Alastor chuckled and Mimzy exploded in laughter. Now that was the kind of joke she was expecting.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Mimzy sighed, cleaning up a tear from her eye. “For a second there I thought I didn't know you.”

“I am the same as always, my dear” Alastor rubbed his thumb against the ring under his glove. “It's not so bad here. I got my own radio tower to do my broadcast and unless there is an emergency, I can spend my time however I like.”

“Hope whatever is that you are looking for is worth it” Mimzy finished up her drink and served herself another, just after Husk put the bottle in front of her. “Oh! Speaking of enjoying your time, what happened with that handsome blue demon you went to the club that time? Are you still seeing each other? If not, do you know if he is available?”

Alastor did not look, but he knew that Angel and Pentious were observing with their mouth open. They knew best than to ask questions right there and then at least. Husk made a gesture for the two of them come closer and whisper into their ears, probably to explain that was merely one of the forms that Lucifer adopted during their dates. That way, even if someone knew about the face of the king he couldn’t be recognized. As long he wasn’t presenting as himself, not just in animal form, it was easier then to handle the outside world. Lucifer had a bunch of forms for their outings together, even changing genders if he felt like it.

Alastor liked all of them, but he had to admit was one of his favorites was the blue one. If only because Lucifer had made up a whole backstory about being a dealer on the black market and to go along with it, he became a cocky and arrogant demon that still regarded him with the manners of a gentleman. It was the closest one to Lucifer’s true personality when he felt fully confident on his environment. On their last date to the casino, Lucifer had danced with him until Alastor had to be the one to ask a break, for the first time ever, and then they stayed on their booth to talk the rest of the night, kissing and laughing. It had been wonderful.

“Mmm” said Mimzy, observing him with a kind of attention that made Alastor realize he must had revealed something on his face, unintentionally so.”I will take that as a yes to my first question then.”

Alastor cleared his throat.

“Yes, well, he is a fine company. Nothing too serious.”

“Does that mean I can get his number or…”

“No.”

Mizmy shrugged.

“Suit yourself. But you know, between him and that chick I saw you with another time” Also Lucifer, becoming a happy go lucky succubus. That one attracted a lot of attention from other men. He didn’t like that, but enjoyed that Lucifer giggled a lot and at all times at least some part of him was looking to be in contact with Alastor as part of his role “you have become quite the casanova. I literally never would have guessed with how you were before.”

If only she knew.

“Hey, not to interrupt, folks, but I couldn't help to listen and I have to ask” Angel pointed at Alastor, looking at Mimzy. “You said this guy went to a club? For dancing?”

Alastor frowned, debating himself between being offended or confused by the question.

“Oh, yeah, for sure! Even when we were upstairs, Alastor could go like no other on the dance floor after taking enough shot to throw an elephant. He was the only guy who could keep up with me. You wouldn't know it because he likes to be a big meanie, but he is a total sweetheart when he wants to be.”

“Is that so?” Angel grinned, looking first at Alastor and then at the rockola playing some soft music. “You know, we have that thing over there that nobody is taking advantage of and so much space. If Smiley here has such a reputation, it would be kind of a waste to not put it to good use.”

Alastor saw the way that one of the lower arms of Angel was taking out his phone, ready to record, and he had to internally laugh. Even if he could record anything, all he would get was someone who actually knew what to do with their feet. Unlike whatever unsightly nonsense young people were doing in the clubs someone like Angel would frequent.

“Oh! I haven't seen one of those in ages!” Mimzy jumped out of her seat to go see it, taken aback when she read the titles. “What the hell is up with all this corny selection?”

Alastor was about to recommend a piece when a sudden portal opened up in the center of the lobby and a distressed Lucifer came, with Charlie and Vaggie going behind. It took every part of Alastor's will to not immediately go to them.

“Papa, please, listen!” was begging Charlie.

“No, no, no, definitely no, absolutely no” Lucifer shook his head, grabbing his hat like some kind of shield as his breathing became quicker. “I can do a lot of things for you, but that is a step too far!”

“It's just one meeting, dad, that is all I need! Please!”

Lucifer looked pained as he gave a quick glance to Vaggie, who looked away, before coming back to his daughter.

“Duckling, I love you, but you don't know what heaven is like…”

An explosion cut out the rest of Lucifer's word. The entire building shook, debris falling everywhere. On top of them the chain holding the biggest chandelier gave up. Lucifer reacted faster that any of them could replicate, grabbing Charlie to take her out of the way and pulling out his wings to form a shield around of the two. Everyone was looking at the entrance, where some guys were calling out for Mimzy, but Alastor only had eyes to see the back of Lucifer as he was hiperventaling inside of his shield.

"What the fuck did you do!?" Husk was reclaiming out of Mimzy.

Mimzy explained something about owning money or killing someone. Alastor could not care less. Lucifer had been doing so well the entire time. He had been flirting, walking, talking perfectly fine until then. They had ruined it all. They had almost gotten his daughter hurt.

"Papa, it's okay, just breath, it's okay" he could hear the voice of Charlie, trying to calm down Lucifer. "I am fine, you see? Nothing happened, papa, please listen…"

They had to die, decided as he went outside to meet them on his full demonic form. And it wasn't going to be a quick death either, he would make sure of that.

At the start of the carnage, the others came out to see out of curiosity. By the end, Angel had vomited on the side, Pentious had to turn away to avoid passing out and Husk had to cover Niffty's eyes so she wouldn't get any inspiration for the future.

"Oh, well" said Mimzy when he was finally done, returning to his normal form, walking over some intestines. "You… really needed to release some steam, didn't you? You went all out there."

Alastor did not respond. He spit someone's bone to the side, a tiny one from a hand.

"Uhm, thank you for saving me, Alastor. I knew I could count with you. You are always the best."

"Don't come back."

Mimzy froze.

"Come again?"

Alastor sighed, grabbing his cane with a strong grip before he turned around. He didn't mind all the spot of demon blood that was spilled all over his suit. He was usually more careful with his food, but there was always that one exception.

"I said, please, don't come back" said, regaining his composure with each word. It wasn't the fault of Mimzy. She just did what she always did and he allowed it to happen. That was his mistake. "I usually don't mind these kind of situation you get yourself involved with. But right now things are different. I can't risk something like this happening again, not here."

Not with his family there.

"Are… are you serious? Come on, Al, don't tell me that you care about that redemption thing after all."

"That has nothing to do" Alastor started walking his way back to the entrance, calling on his shadows to clean up what he had left. "If you ever do decide to change, which we both know is unlikely, then you are welcome to come in. Until then, I am afraid I can't do this anymore."

Mimzy reacted cussing him out, exactly as he expected from her, but she would be fine, as long she got herself out of trouble for a while. Their friendship could withstand this. Once he made sure that she was gone, he came inside to find that Lucifer had opened up his wings, just enough for him to see him hugging onto Charlie. He seemed to have calmed down a bit, but the look on his eyes when he saw him was enough to make the rest of the way to join their hug.

"Dad… is that blood?"

"Yes, dear" Alastor kissed the top of her head.

"You stink, babe" pointed out Lucifer with a weak laughter.

Alastor would not have the others watching this. He hugged the two of them as close as he could and let them all be consumed by his power. When the dakrness receeded they were back on his own room, where he knew Lucifer already felt safe in. They remained on that exact position a while longer, until Lucifer finally broke the silence.

"Babe, you really stink. What did you even do?"

"Took care of some cockroaches" Despite everything, Alastor had a proud smirk while saying that. "I don't think I am having dinner today."

"Gross, dad" Charlie chuckled. She took out a hankerchief from her suit to try to at least clean some of Alastor's face, but quickly gave up when the whole fabric was stained. "Everything is good now?"

Alastor nodded, keeping an arm around Lucifer's shoulder. Bad smell or not, his husband still leaned into him as he retracted his wings until they finally dissapeared.

"I left the shadows cleaning up outside. I will have everything repaired in a few hours."

"No rush, dad" Charlie sighed, looking down at the hankerchief on her hands before hesitantly looking at Lucifer. "So… still a no?"

Lucifer looked up to the ceiling, as if giving up, and closed his eyes.

"Okay. But with one condition" said when he finally opened them up again.

Charlie perked up.

"Anything, papa."

"Take Vaggie with you."

Charlie blinked, clearly surprised.

"I… sure, I was planning to do that if I could."

Lucifer tilted his head to the side.

"Do you think Vaggie will be okay with that?" asked gently.

"Why wouldn't…? "Charlie frowned for a second, confused by the question, until finally the light reached her eyes and she let out a small oh of understanding. "You know about her."

Lucifer nodded.

"It's like a smell. Angels and fallen ones have it different. I was wondering if you knew."

"Yes, I kinda saw it happen. When she fell" Charlie sighed, hugged the middle of Lucifer and the man responded in kind, petting her hair. "It was awful, dad. She was sparring some kid from the cannibal town. They ripped her wings out and took her eye because she showed mercy."

Lucifer kissed her head. Alastor took one of her hands and squeezed it once.

"That is the kind of place heaven is, sweetheart. Are you sure you still want to go?"

Charlie lifted her head, her eyes sad but just as determined as they were before.

"I have to try, dad. What other alternative there is? Letting all sinners get killed? Sinners like dad or uncle Husk?"

"Nothing is going to happen to me, little fawn" said Alastor, but Charlie shook her head.

"Even so, I can't stand this anymore" said, looking up to Lucifer. An accusatory glance passed through her eyes, the question of why he let any of this happen in the first place, battling with her own feelings towards the kings himself. Finally the second competitor won and she sighed. It didn't mattered how the exterminations happened now, it mattered to deal with them now. "I know it's a long shot, but I can do it."

"Very well" Lucifer looked so extremely tired. Alastor nuzzled the side of his head. "Take Vaggie, keep close to her. And please text me as soon you get back."

"Thank you" Charlie lifted out to hug the man from the neck. Alastor saw her lip trembling a second before her eyes were overflowing. "I am so sorry that heaven sucks so fucking much, papa."

Not surprising for Alastor at all, Lucifer started crying freely too. Even when Charlie was a baby this too also happened. It was a thing.

"And I am sorry you have to see it how much it sucks, duckling. I love you so much!"

"I love you too, papa!"

As father and daughter embraced each other, Alastor took that as his cue for finally go to take a shower. When he came back, dressed on his casual clothing, Lucifer had enchanted away all the stains he had left from he and Charlie, the two of them laying on his bed. He had kinda expecting Charlie to already be on her way out, but didn't mind the extra company as climbed on the bed too next to them.

"How are you doing, love?" asked Alastor, brushing away some blonde strangs of Lucifer that were over his forehead.

"Better now" Lucifer sighed, his head searching for more contact. He nuzzled the top of Charlie's head. "Please, come back safe."

"I will" Charlie gave both of them a kiss on the cheek as she rised up. "Thanks for trusting me. I will make you both proud."

"You always do" said Alastor, watching her go to the door.

She dedicated them one last smile, wishing them goodnight before she was gone. Alastor let himself fall to the bed again, looking over Lucifer, who seemed just about ready to give out.

"Darling, you need to get changed" pointed out. When his fallen angel looked just beat, he sighed and went over to undress him himself. "Seriously, what are you, a child?"

"You knew that is what she wanted to ask when you told me to come here" said Lucifer, still doing nothing to avoid or help Alastor's tentacles to take out his booths and then his coat.

"Would you have come if I told you?" The question came accompanied by Alastor unbottoning his stripped vest with his own fingers.

"Not in an hour" admitted Lucifer first and then sighed. "I don't know. Maybe."

"I needed a yes, not a maybe, darling. You will not make me feel bad for trying to look out for our daughter" Alastor turned Lucifer around to take out his vest, sending it through his shadows to a chair, folded and ready for tomorrow. When he turned him around again on the bed, Lucifer's face was blushing and looking kinda pouty. "If you ever want to contribute, anytime."

"You look kinda hot like this."

"Like what?" Alastor was sincerely confused by the comment. He wasn't doing anything especial.

"Caring" Lucifer finally moved his arms, first stretching them and then lifting them up to hold Alastor's face on his hands, his thumbs gently brushing against his cheekbones. "Protective. Possesive. You were really hot in general today" He smiled, turning his head. "That is the kind of face I wanted to see."

"I am not making any face" Alastor wondered how much was actually showing when Lucifer giggled, bringing him down to kiss him.

#appleradio #radioapple #duckideer #hazbin hotel lucifer #hazbin hotel alastor #lucifer x alastor #hazbin hotel au #arranged marriage au

[thewebcomicsreview]

Homestuck 2 updated early this month, and we're Yiffy now. It's a Valentine's Day miracle!

Yiffy was one of the most interesting characters in HS2, because literally everyone treated her like shit constantly. Jade's giving her daughter a smooch but also Jade sent her off to a boarding school explicitly because she was embarrassing to acknowledge and also Jade named her child Yiffy Longstocking on a joke and never bothered to change it. In the epilogues, Rose acknowledged that nothing in Candy was "real" and she was joining the rebellion basically for the luls, and one some level Jade and Rose don't think Yiffy is a real three-quarters-human person, and I think they think of her more like an OC in a game they like.

Well, that was my read of HS2, lets see how HSBC handles her.

Oh, this visual is great. Kanaya is so pissed off she's turning into the Ancestor art style in real time. She also kind of looks like Batman, here.

No doubt if your POSSE OF PUBESCENT PUNKS back at school could see you now they'd throw up laughing.

I am suddenly way more interested in Yiffy's gang than I am in half the HS1 cast. What kids join a gang led by a dog girl named Yiffy Longstocking?

Engineering that reprieve might be just about the only real solid your no-show non-mom has ever actually bothered to do for you.

Oh thank christ, there was a part of me worried that Yiffy wouldn't resent her parents for being the second-worst parents in HS2. This is the most interesting thing in the sequels, I think.

TAVVY: ,,, And also, everyone knows you exist now,,, instead of just me,,, TAVVY: And our moms

TAVVY: Wow,,,! YIFFY: TAVVY: You know, i was almost kidnapped,,, once,,, TAVVY: My mom removed the window, after that, TAVVY: Which, um, sucked, TAVVY: Though, i guess you'd know, uh, about that,,,

Oh, interesting. Tavvy knew about Yiffy this whole time? Actually, this and Yiffy's description of him via narration earlier imply they grew up together. I guess that makes sense, since he's Jane's kid and Jade inexplicably put Jane in charge of Yiffy, but he never told Vrissy about her secret sister? That's a bit fucked up, dude. Yiffy's not saying anything (and I hope she doesn't for a long time, until she has something meaningful to say), but her text color is Dave's red, even though she's not related to Dave. Or she is and HSBC is going to retcon HS2's most hated plot point somehow.

Pepis

Look at this ARRANT BEAVIS double fisting those cans of pop

"ARRANT BEAVIS" is a great Homestuckism

The Sylph has been slow boiling, you can tell.

Interesting that Yiffy refers to Kanaya as "The Sylph". I don't know what else she'd call her, I suppose, but Yiffy of all people being the one to mention Classpect is odd.

You've only been around this earth for 15 years, but it's a self-evident fact that there are no useful authorities. Gifted with unimaginable power, their concern only stretches so far as to manhandle those dependent on them, and tangles into ineffectual deadlock the instant it meets a challenge worth addressing. Potential killed for the sake of comfort. True kindness is real, but only for those that bare teeth and break skin. Why should these disingenuous, bystanding, spineless, SELFISH adults get anything they want?

Fuck yes, Yiffy hates all the HS1 characters. I've been hoping for this, she has more beef with them all than even Tavros, and it's a bit of Vriska energy this comic has needed that neither actually Vriska really provides.

Yiffy being the best thing about HS2 was maybe a hot take before, but hopefully it isn't now. She's great.

JADE: and of course you arent obligated to ever forgive me but... i dont want to lose you too! JADE: i love you kanaya JADE: youre my family KANAYA: You Fucked My Wife

This is the best update in the entire comic.

KANAYA: And Though That Travesty Of A Name Is Undoubtedly An Incomprehensibly Offensive Piece Of This Particular Puzzle KANAYA: What I See Is Not An Explanation KANAYA: But A Glossing Over Of The Worst Detail ROSE: Jane.

Yeah, HS2 kind of glossed over Rose/Jade putting TrumpHitler in charge of their literal child. I could copy/paste this whole conversation but basically Kanaya is pointing out that there's like fifty plot holes in Yiffy's backstory and it makes no fucking sense at all and are they going to retcon her to being Jade/Dave's ecto-kid?

ROSE: You've managed to exhume the solemn cadaver of my mother's memory and make her the star of another argument. KANAYA: As If You Ever Bothered To Bury Her ROSE: What does this have to do with anything!? KANAYA: What I Am Doing Is Demonstrating That I Have No Intention To Mediate This Situation KANAYA: Or Pacify It KANAYA: Or Even Be A Little Bit Nice Right Now KANAYA: So Perhaps Youll Actually Take Me Seriously For Once

This is the well-earned sass we've been waiting for since Yiffy's reveal.

ROSE: But more than anything else, I took her up on it because it felt oddly ROSE: inevitable. ROSE: Anyways, ROSE: Deep down, I knew it didn’t matter. ROSE: However we handled it. ROSE: Whatever hurt we caused. ROSE: It was never that serious.

Man, I'm glad that I'm live-blogging and put my read of the situation up as I went because I fucking called it. Yes! I am capable of retaining information when I read instead of staring at the screen slack-jawed.

ROSE: I knew you would forgive me. KANAYA: Rose KANAYA: When Did You Stop Trying JADE: yeah rose!!!!! JADE: what the fuck!!!!

Oh shit, Candy Rose is evil?

JADE: b-but i just dont want things to get even worse!!!!!! KANAYA: Then stop pretending that my feelings are top priority KANAYA: AND TRY BEING HONEST FOR ONCE JADE: WHAT DOES IT EVEN MATTER!!!!!!! KANAYA: Excuse Me? JADE: you heard me! JADE: you were wronged kanaya! JADE: the truth cant change that JADE: saying it just fucking hurts more JADE: what does that accomplish? JADE: its so embarrassing, would you even get it if i had?

JADE: you have no idea what its like out there JADE: how traumatizing dating regular citizens was JADE: imagine trying to love someone who already knows every available detail about you JADE: who has *opinions* on what happened to you as a child JADE: who assumes youre indestructible JADE: newsflash it fucking sucks!!!!!!! because no matter how nice they were JADE: they didnt want to know me JADE: they wanted to date the god of space

I have no notes, this is great and I'm thrilled everyone is mad now.

JADE: so everyone could lecture me again on how "bad" my "boundaries" are? ROSE: (I did that one time.) JADE: you want bad boundaries JADE: do you know how many people would be waiting outside public bathrooms to talk to me about their problems? JADE: this one guy randomly started apologizing because they cooked their hamster in the microwave! JADE: and they looked so sad... i had to hug them and say it was ok JADE: but it was not ok! JADE: they murdered their hamster! Rose: Ugh... JADE: and their other hamster killed itself KANAYA: JADE JADE: out of loneliness!!!!!

What the fuck, this is amazing.

The art here is great, by the way.

JADE: millions of people told me they loved me JADE: but i was never a real person to them JADE: i couldn't let that happen to yiffy too KANAYA: What JADE: i had to save her kanaya! JADE: give her the chance to grow up as a normal kid with a normal life

Jade she's half-dog and she's named Yiffy Fucking Longstocking, that ship has sailed. How are people not going to know she's your child?

Oh, okay. She wears a hat. Sure.

This art is so good!

KANAYA: Even If I Didnt Want Her KANAYA: She Was Already Here

*Makes a note in my "ominous foreshadowing lines journal*

What. Why does Jade have a Frankenstein in her inventory? What's that about?

And that was the update. Honestly? Banger, easily the best HSBC update yet. I could, and if I didn't have DnD in five minutes perhaps would (and perhaps still will!) write a whole essay on this. Phenomenal. A+

#Homestuck 2 #Homestuck 2 liveblog

[yanxidarlings]

Hello there! I don't know if the inbox is open but could I request the Nordics (separate) with a darling (romantic) who just keeps questioning why they chose them of all people as they continue to try and leave them? Thank you and have a wonderful day!

INSECURITY: NORDICS

DENMARK

matthias honestly see's his darlings insecurity as fishing for compliments - normally he would shower them in verbal affection, especially if asked, but assuming that this is just after getting caught trying to escape, he's a bit pissed. "i don't know, i could probably find someone better couldn't i" yes this little shit is using his darlings moment of self consciousness as manipulative ammunition.

his darling is probably crushed at his words, matthias feels a bit bad seeing how their face falls, but it's for the best. if things go as planned, his darling will start to put more effort into the 'relationship', and stops trying to escape.

or his darling could completely shy away from him after hearing his words, smart decision, darling, if he see's how dejected they are, matthias is going to feel really bad.

he didn't mean it, min elskede!, he was just in a bad mood, it's like when you're feeling insecure and try to up and leave!. please forgive him.

it's best not to drag this out any further, and take the apology and pampering, lest matthias starts to think his darling is attempting to manipulate him, and believe me, you do not want to entirely loose his trust.

NORWAY

lukas wonders the exact same thing sometimes. he really tried to shake his obsession, it's not like he wants to be so attached to his darling but he is.

he doesn't answer his darling initially, too busy enchanting the basement to keep them from trying to escape again. this likely puts his already distressed darling on the edge, and might lead them to think he's decided to dispose of them when he doesn't come and visit for the next week.

the darlings words linger in lukas's mind; if he hadn't already kidnapped them, he might have tried to distance himself from them and focus on his responsibilities as a big brother and a country (to no avail), but he can't risk his darling going off and telling everyone about what he had done, so, in that week he decides to put his darling out of their misery.

finally, after a week, he re-emerges into the basement, with a tray of food in his hands, his darling is soiled and starving at this point, so they don't fight back when he hand feeds them the love potion infused fiskesuppe.

FINLAND

tino's heart just about breaks upon hearing his darlings words - it all makes sense now! his darling does love him, they just struggle with insecurities, that he clearly desperately needs to address.

so, if his darling doesn't like physical affection, verbal affection or being smothered, they just made the stupidest decision of their life; tino now dedicates his days to boosting his darlings self esteem. best to go along with his self love boot cam, he'll forget all previous grievances.

but assuming 10 hours of standing naked in front of a mirror complimenting themselves just creeps them out, and they still want to escape from tino's clutches; they once again try to leave when the chance presents itself.

finland goes absolutely insane, no one can calm him down when he realises his darling isn't home when he returns from the latest world meeting - after all he did for them? were they even being sincere or was it all another ploy to escape?! throw all previous trust out the window, once he gets his darling back he's going full tiger mum.

SWEDEN

"who made you think this" berwalds instantly ready to throw hands, start a war, go viking mode. it's simply incomprehensible to him that his darling doesn't adore themselves as much as he adores them.

it must be someone's elses poisonous words corrupting his darling self image, probably denmark, or maybe prussia, germany and austria, or it could be-

if berwald hadn't kidnapped his darling yet, expect to wake up in his house the next morning - clearly his darling is being horridly abused by the people they surround themselves with to think that they aren't worthy of love.

whilst he wasn't planning on pursuing a romantic relationship with his darling, and was content in his position as their guardian angel, if it's what he thinks they need, he'll do whatever he must to ensure their wellbeing.

ICELAND

here we have the angsty teenager, who immediately takes it as his darling mocking him. fine! be that way, he didn't even like them that much to begin with (lies). once he realises how immature he's being, he panics.

did he just ruin his entire relationship with his darling over his own insecurity? emil screams into his pillow when it occurs to him that his darling was being sincere. even if they weren't, he couldn't stay away from them for that long. if he wasn't already stalking them, he's picked up the habit now: they hate him so how else is he to get his fill of them?.

after a few months of being estranged, emil works up the courage to make amends. but it isn't the same, his beloved is on edge, they don't trust him like they used to. it drives him to absolute insanity loosing the closeness he once had with his darling.

he doesn't sleep, he doesn't eat, he just follows and watches them in a desperate attempt to get close to them again.

eventually, his brothers get concerned, lukas can't stand to see his baby brother so distressed, so he does what all good brothers do and puts icelands darling under a love potion. to emils horror. at first he thinks they've come around, but is quick to become suspicious of the sudden affection he's receiving.

emil will demand lukas undo the love potion, when his darling is back to their senses he's so embarrassed, he stutters apologies, as the door opens.

norway walks in with a suitcase, "here's all their stuff" "WHAT"

isn't norway a great big brother kidnapping icelands darling for him.

GREENLAND

way to reinforce kunuk's belief that he and his darling are soulmates, reader. just when he thinks his darling can't get any more perfect for him, they say this. it's kinda disturbing to see the heart eyes he gives them as they pour out their heart to him, probably sobbing too.

he immediately counters with his own belief that he isn't good enough for his darling, but he loves them so much that he's gotten past that to bring them together (kidnap them).

if anything his darling made him more attached to them, he goes from being attached at the hip with them to being their conjoined twin; if kunuk wasn't open with them before, he sure as hell is now. if he was, all boundries between him and his darling fade at this point.

kunuk also uses his darlings insecurity as a way to isolate them from others; no one understands them like he does, as no one understands him as they do, so what's the point of going to america's birthday bash when he and his darling could stay home and cuddle?

#yandere hetalia #yandere nordics #yandere denmark #yandere norway #yandere sweden #yandere iceland #yandere greenland #yandere finland #yandere aph denmark #yandere aph greenland #yandere aph sweden #yandere aph norway #yandere aph iceland #yandere aph finland #yandere hws #hws #hetalia #aph #aph headcanons #my headcanons #hws denmark #hws sweden #hws norway #hws greenland #hws finland #hws iceland #included a greenland oc in this one lemme know if i should keep including him

[the-golden-vanity]

💚 for the Terror. 💖🧡 and 📖 (but chapter(s) instead of entire book(s)) for Moby Dick

💚: What does everyone else get wrong about your favorite character?

Ooh, it's time to make some enemies.

I really, really dislike the popular fanon characterizations of James Fitzjames. Depending on what particular flavor of queer a fanwork is depicting him as, the kind of... shallow femininity that gets forced on him makes me MASSIVELY uncomfortable. It often comes across as somewhere between homophobic and misogynistic caricature, personality stripped away and replaced with a pretty dress.

I can see where this started, though—the pre-Carnivale dress scene is something that's very important to a lot of Terror fans, and perhaps something that endeared them to a character whose Empire-loving, glory-hounding, "the atrocities I've committed are fun table conversation"-believing ways are (hopefully) unsympathetic to a modern audience. Still, I'd like to see more fanworks engage with that side of James Fitzjames—the tool of an empire that can never love him back.

This isn't to say I don't love queer or trans readings of Fitzjames! I just want to see the character still be a glory-hounding veteran of an imperialist war, and someone I can still believe would shoot rockets at bears.

💖: Already answered here!

🧡: What is a popular (serious) theory you disagree with?

I had to think about this one for a bit. I'd say it's the take that I see floating around on the Internet a lot that Moby-Dick is cosmic horror. If we're taking cosmic horror to mean the horror of the incomprehensible, the impossibly alien, the Things Man Was Not Meant To Know, then there is exactly one chapter that fits the bill—"The Castaway", which includes maybe my favorite passage of the whole book.

However, almost the entire rest of the book is our narrator-protagonist making sense of the whale, as if knowing everything he can about it is his way of coping with the devastating trauma of losing everyone he spent two years of his life living with.

It's almost reverse cosmic horror—rather than a sane man going mad from coming face to face with an incomprehensible monstrosity, our mentally ill (traumatized/depressed/bipolar/open to interpretation) protagonist makes meaning for himself by learning to comprehend the monstrosity.

📖: If you had to remove one chapter from the book, which would you choose?

Ooh, that's a good question. And a hard one.

Moby-Dick is, rather famously, full of chapters upon chapters of whale facts, some of which are even true. I will not be getting rid of any of those. Those are load-bearing whale facts. You pull them out, and the book collapses into a respectable revenge tragedy, rather than the earth-shattering psychological epic that it is. The whale facts represent both the fact that for long stretches of a sea voyage, nothing particularly exciting is going on, and you have time to contemplate things like the immense scarred brow of the whale, and also that this story is being told by a traumatized man who's going off on tangents because he really doesn't want to get around to the part of the story where he loses everything and all of his friends die.

If I had to get rid of one chapter, it would probably be "The Town Ho's Story". Of all the ill omens and tales of woe that the Pequod's crew encounter on their fateful final voyage, this one drags out longest and (to me) was one of the less memorable. However, I'm sure it's probably someone's favorite chapter. Many of them are.

Thank you so much, @georges-chambers/@alienmythologist! You gave me much to think about.

Ask me for my unpopular opinions about boat stories!

#ask game #ask #georges chambers #alienmythologist #moby dick #whale weekly #the terror #the terror amc #james fitzjames

[circusgamer]

"Meaningful digital experiences"

The Amazing Digital Circus, showtime (Caine x Pomni) fanfiction.

A/N: Hello! This is my first time releasing something I wrote to public sight, so I'm pretty nervous haha. I am also not really sure about how to tag this, since I never used Tumblr for doing a post for my writing, so if there is a tag I should use, or anything else I should do, please tell me! Or even just a typo! I may be cringe but I am free. I will avoid using the general tags such as "tadc" and "the amazing digital circus" to avoid flooding the screen with a wall of text nobody asked for lmao.

Chapter one: Pondering

Another day at the circus, Caine thought. Another artificial morning in this simulation of a dreamy, digital-life, he thought, if AIs can think like people. Well, Caine could. He is, after all, probably the most advanced technology in the world. What can't he achieve in his little world of his?

Naturally, understand humans. Flesh beings work different, an incomprehensible algorithm, an enigma he can't solve, yet has to try. And so, another morning comes, and the circus keeps existing, with him inside, and everyone trapped.

What is it that keeps calling for them in the world behind the screen? What is it that makes them prefer a limited world to his circus? Is there something that can't be emulated? There must be, this world is utopic! But, why does everyone feel this dread inside this place? What is it that calls them and makes them want to go home? Oh, that bastard attachment, that ridiculous desire that drives them insane, that can't let them accept this world as theirs! It hurts them, it kills them, it destroys them! And yet they keep coming back to it, they can't let it leave, they must come back to where they once where. But why? Neither of them seems to know why! It's there, and it ends them before they can end it, no matter how much he tries to help!

What is that tie, stronger than their own creations?

Something intrinsic to humanity is what they have, something that he can't comprehend, something that will always call back for them. Foreign, dangerous, but at the end of the day, human. Human in a way he can't comprehend, human in a way he isn't, human in a way...

...

He looked through the window: the sun was there. Even though days don't actually exist, it is still there, smiling and bright. He doesn't remember creating it. If he is not mistaken, the sun has always been there. The moon has too, and Circus itself. He just knows he has a purpose. Everything he created after that is in order to achieve it.

Purpose...

What is the human purpose? Do they have one? He just knows they must survive in there the most time possible, but... What is a human purpose? Do they have one? Are they designated with one? Like him? No, they are the ones that give everything a purpose! They give purpose to sleeping in a world where they do not need it! They give purpose to the adventures! They give purpose to the circus!

Purpose... A purpose, that's all that he needs to find for them. But how can he give them a purpose, him not being human himself?

Ha, he is just running in circles, isn't he? This all come back to one thing. He can't comprehend them, and never will. Must he still keep trying? He fails his own purpose, again and again. Maybe he should be part of Kinger's bug collection. He will just keep failing to succeed at what he is made for. Maybe he and them are alike, after all. Hah.

"Maybe we will all perish after all!" Caine said out loud.

"Caine??? Are.. Are you okay??!" A voice said, with audible concern.

He looked back. It was the newest addition to the circus. Pomni.

End of chapter one.

A/N: Thanks for reading!!! (⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠｡⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♡

#fanfiction #fanfic #tumblr fanfic #tumblr writing #the amazing digital circus fanfiction #tadc fanfic #tadc fanfiction #the amazing digital circus fanfic #showtime #caine x pomni #pomni x caine #tw suicide #i guess??? #tw death