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#but also at anyone who does this or things like it bc i take issue with all of it even if this one thing was a catalyst for ramble rant
thelastharbinger · 2 years
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I’m already seeing male reactors get very verbally defensive about that scene in She-Hulk where Jennifer describes how, simply as a woman, she has more experience in suppressing rage than Banner because speaking out will get you labelled “hysterical”, “emotional”, “difficult”, “too much of a feminist”, the list goes on. And if you snap back at the wrong cat-caller, you can get murdered. So now mcu bros are rushing at the opportunity to cry out “this is just another ‘marvel throwing in another woke scene for woke’s sake’. But like...it isn’t untrue. Comic nerds are all for female superhero protagonists until she, god forbids, talks about the dynamics of what it’s like to live within the confines of patriarchy.
MCU fans are always clamoring for the social commentary to be more “subtle” and not so “in-your-face”, just so they can mindlessly enjoy a punchy fighty show and not have to confront any real-world intersections with racism, misogyny, xenophobia, transphobia, all the -isms and -phobias you can imagine. Additionally, even when the social criticisms are embedded into the story, the conflicts are routinely either overlooked or watered-down and discussed at the individual-level as if these are just isolated incidents and not reflective of larger phenomena. Dudebros forget that superhero comic media, from the very beginning, has always been political. A lot of the mainstream characters we know and love today were created in response to the anti-war and peace movements during the seventies in the United States (this is also not to say that there isn’t some definite war propaganda and Red Scare-inspired comics out there either).
Comics are teaching grounds for morality, human good, and bad, power, greed, corruption. Comics have been about the social commentary from the get-go. The idea that the government (and by extent society at large) is villainizing and surveilling a specific minority group who carry varying physical and genetic traits contrasting to that of the “ideal national subject” because of a perceived inherent aggression or difference based on their physical attributes *ahem ahem mutants*...where do you think they got that from?
I literally sat through a dude being like “IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A MAN, THAT IS NEVER THE CASE! IF A WOMAN GETS UPSET AND MAKES A SCENE IN PUBLIC, THE MAN ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE THE BAD GUY BECAUSE IT IS ASSUMED HE DID SOMETHING WRONG. MEN ARE THE ONES WHO CAN NEVER BE ANGRY.” (Obviously for Black men, my argument is different because when Black men express rage, they are viewed as a threat or turned into spectacle, but the person who made this rant was not a Black man, nor was he factoring race into his argument). As if masculinity and gratuitous violence have not become nearly synonymous. When male celebrities are accused of beating their partners, fans run to their defense to say “well she shouldn’t have provoked him.” When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, the internet rooted for a televised boxing match between the actors/comedians. We all watched the Trump and Hillary debates right, where his belligerent behavior was coddled while she had to maintain composure?
We’ve collectively grown up watching male newscasters, talk show hosts, and reporters make jokes about angry women in sports, in the media or in news reports being on their periods, as a way to minimize the stressful and abusive circumstances, or people, women are subjected to. The world expects women to react to harassment with class and elegance; women’s anger, Black women especially, is never not mitigated. For male fans to come away from that scene wanting to eye roll is why the commentary is so “in-your-face” because a lot of y’all still don’t get it! Men are still finding ways to make women’s issues about them and the “loss” of their rights. In a world where Brock Turners are able to walk free, are you really trying to argue against this scene? Really? What else do you expect out of a series whose main character is AN ATTORNEY? Y’all are just not going to enjoy this series then, as per usual.
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lord-squiggletits · 1 month
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"Rodimus is a better Prime because it didn't hurt for him to bond with the Matrix while for Optimus it did" headcanon/theory my beloathed.
One day I'm literally gonna snap and make a whole post addressing why what's wrong bc I'm tired of the inaccuracy and tired of ppl not understanding the Point TM of IDW and its version of the Matrix/Primacy and even more tired of people putting down Optimus in favor of Rodimus by essentially arguing that being unworthy means you deserve to be punished/put in pain bc you just weren't good enough to hold the Symbol of Ultimate Authority
#it's wrong on so many levels both in terms of lore and as well as like what the general themes of idw1 are#it's just a validation contest using the matrix as some magical symbol to decide who's the most special#which is ironically something that was a plot point in exrid/OP. specifically how stupid of an idea that is ldskjflksd#ppl revealing that they havent read anything besides mtmte/ll as usual#like half the reason ppl think optimus is a bad prime and rodimus is a good prime is literally bc like#optimus was written by an author who was specifically trying to deconstruct him (sometimes to the point of absurdity)#and rodimus was written by an author who takes a more optimistic/idealistic approach. and is also better at writing#but also like am i seriously the only person who thinks that that argument is fucked up?????#like 'OP felt pain which means he's unworthy/not a real prime/not a true leader'#ok so you think that there's a hierarchy of moral goodness in which anyone who falls short of that Moral Ideal should suffer#as a sign of their unworthiness?? like does that not sound dystopian as hell to any of you?? why would you WANT the matrix to work like tha#even if the theory were true (which it isn't) why would you view the matrix as a good authoritative moral judge of character#if its idea of 'moral judgement' is to inflict pain on anyone who's supposedly not truly good/worthy#wasn't the entire point of the ending of LL (including rodimus being a good leader) that everyone is worth it?#like rodimus literally said 'you ARE damn well good enough' or something like that#so what? everyone else in the universe tries their best and that's enough but somehow when OP suffers it's like#a sign that he's not actually a good prime/leader?? we're really going with the punitive perspective purely for One Guy??#swear to god ppl are projecting their authority issues onto Optimus the way they shit on him for things they would excuse#if any other character did it#Optimus is uniquely deserving of pain/being marked as unworthy bc idk he was a cop once and that offends my delicate sensibilities#what's even funnier is how much harm was inflicted by rodimus as a captain sheerly due to his stupidity or ego but everyone forgives him#i guess bc as long as the matrix likes him that means he's valid no matter what he actually does as a person#WHICH IS SOMETHING IDW ITSELF ARGUED AGAINST BC A LOT OF THE PRIMES THAT WERE CHOSEN BY THE MATRIX#WERE DICKS AND THE FACT THEY COULD WIELD THE MATRIX DIDN'T MAKE THEM GOOD PEOPLE#like oh my god stop using the matrix as an arbiter of moral authority in idw1 it literally goes against the themes of the story#including the themes that are embodied in rodimus himself#idw op love
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brookheimer · 1 year
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……starting to think a lot of you do not know what the word empathetic means
#i have a lot to say about this but it is going to have to wait a few days until i’m no longer up to my ears in work#but here’s a little thing to tide you over: empathy does not a good person make#a capacity for empathy is in no way a capacity let alone willingness for good#empathy and intense horrendous cruelty are not mutually exclusive#if you think that evil comes in a single form if you think evil is just pure callousness coldness spot-it-a-mile-away inability to love#then no fucking wonder people keep doing evil terrible things like in real life and your response is always ?! W hat ?!#shocking: terrible evil people are still people. they are not robots of pure malice. they were once babies with coloring books#that’s not saying we should feel bad for them or anything at all!!! just that you guys seem allergic to acknowledging that it doesn’t take a#category 5 sociopath to commit an atrocity#everyone go read arendt’s banality of evil and go watch act of killing by joshua oppenheimer#no wonder trump keeps winning. y’all don’t view his supporters as people with any qualities other than Racism#like i know this is a fictional character but the response here is so indicative of this much broader issue that makes me want to scream#i get it. you’ve lived in a bubble your whole life and never interacted with people vastly different from yourself and had to acknowledge#their personhood as much as their viewpoints disgusted you. talk to a conservative once in your life it might be mind blowing#not bc you’ll be like WOAH :o THEYRE NOT SO BAD AFTER ALL! no!!!!! because they ARE that bad and they are also regular normal people!!!!!#you are all so incapable of viewing anyone you dislike as having internal lives! christ!#this is how trump won! how do you not see this!#seriously go watch act of killing go watch anwar who murdered hundreds of people in cold blood warmly scold his grandchild for poking a duck#too hard. like the most horrifying part of horrible ppl who commit atrocities is that they aren’t caricatures of evil#we wish they were it would make it easier to understand#agh i’m rambling i’ll shut up#god watch ppl be like Uh why are you defending trump/genocide/fascists etc#dumb fucks i’m telling you the most terrifying part about those people is that they are actually people that’s what makes it so hard to#comprehend bc atrocities are so much easier to swallow when you can pretend a force of pure evil is behind it#okokokok good night lol
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morgana-pendragon · 6 months
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can i verbalise a selfish thought for a moment. dont read the tags if thatll bother you or anything
#what with all this talk of colonisation and whose land what is it does make me wonder about what the bigger voices in these convos would#have to say about my country. like im genuinely curious bc idk how to categorise us at all. context bc i dont expect anyone to know:#the indigenous people of the land i live on were the arawaks & lucayans. however when this land was first colonised they were all genocided#and who are now known as 'bahamians' were brought over on ships. and then somehow we went from the spanish to the english who colonised us#as well. now my worry is purely hypothetical bc we are an independent and sovereign state right so there's no 'threat'#but would we be considered 'indigenous' ? i can't think we would??#but maybe my issue is that i'm looking at this philosophically rather than politically. cause politically we probably would#but while the us-israel-colonisation convo is a political one the stances are philosophical so ??#like (again. hypothetically) if the same thing were to happen here ig i just wonder how we would be dealt with#and then the land ownership convo as well baffles me & it has for a while. since at least 2020 when the whole 'cottagecore is bad' convo#took place with the arguments that the aesthetic romanticised stolen land and i wondered even then like ? are we in the same position??#is the land still considered stolen if the people inhabiting it were displaced themselves?? and didn't steal it??#and moreover if the people it was stolen from no longer exist to take it back?? man idk#im stunningly bad at articulating my own thoughts so if this was a mess im sorry and thanks for making it this far#and also pls tell me if this comes off in the same light as americans making this about their election. i really dont want it to. im just#thinking. i guess idk#stop talking abbie
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likelylarks · 1 year
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:/
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mybrainproblems · 1 year
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brain is just mii waiting room music as i consider where i've ended up in my supernatural fandom journey
#that is to say: a berenscrit dabbfan and glynn stan who considers s1-3 kripke and dabb era to be the best eras of spn#which means i'm sad bloodlines wasn't picked up as separate from spn and think it's a blessing in disguise that wayward wasn't greenlit#also i'm going to be watching an adaptation of a YA novel that i have zero interest in just bc glynn is the showrunner....#i wasn't in the fandom when wayward wasn't picked up but everything i've heard really sounds like it could've been a firefly s2 situation#i feel like the issues with kaia's character are well-understood at this point but killing off missouri to make her a spirit guide(???)#for patience is uh. questionable. and depending on how it was handled could have fallen badly into the magical negro trope#the shitty thing is that we all know it wasn't picked up bc execs thought an all-female cast with middle aged women as leads#wasn't marketable to a larger audience and that part is bullshit but i think maybe it was best it didn't go forward as it was planned#like unless they were intending to have a very diverse writers room i cannot imagine what berens might have come up with#the creation and treatment of kaia as a character says a lot and i think the blame falls more on him than dabb or other writers bc she was#created with the intention of being on the show he would be showrunner for so i think he had more independence/less oversight#dabb is complicit tho and so are the rest of the writers tbh since it doesn't seem like anyone saw any huge issues with it#also: davy perez wrote a better confession in stuck in the middle with you vs 15x18 and does not get nearly enough respect for it 🙄#tbh *none* of the other writers get enough respect like my god you're gonna stan berens and NOT ms meredith glynn????#thee all-rounder and Understander of late seasons and top 5 writers on the show *ever*?#glynn could do 05x04 the end but bedlund could never do regarding dean#hashtag Takes that would get you cancelled in 2021#spn
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armageddidnt · 8 months
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Welcome to My Collection of Random Thoughts during my nth* rewatch of Good Omens Season 2
*only amazon prime knows the exact number at this point but I’m fairly certain it’s in the double digits
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Episode 1: Gabriel’s fly lurking in the box when Aziraphale first takes it inside 👀
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Crowley’s promise of “two minutes” basically means that he’s been homeless and living in his car for the past 4 years strictly so that he can be within 2 driving minutes of Aziraphale at all times in case his angel needs him I’m not crying you are
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So here I think the key word is “fragile,” Crowley knows they are ostensibly safe from their respective sides but that could change at any moment so he’s basically spent the last 4 years in anxiety-ridden terror hovering as close to Aziraphale as he can to try and protect him from heaven, hell, and anyone else that would want to bring him harm after all that business they pulled in season 1 with stopping Armageddon
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Episode 2: I just happened to pause the episode while Aziraphale is lying to the angels about his miracle and LOL Michael really outdid himself here (Sheen, not the Archangel)
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Gabriel trying to swat flies and almost smashing the repository of every single one of his memories
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I’m cAckling
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So if Good Omens exists in Good Omens, does that mean Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett exist in Good Omens?? Do you think they based their Aziraphale and Crowley characters on Aziraphale and Crowley??
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Episode 3: So I’m trying to find any hints or foreshadowing of the Gabriel Beelzebub thing bc tbh I did kind of feel like it came out of nowhere which is really the only issue I have with them. I found this one scene where Beelzebub almost ?? seems to be concerned about Gabriel ?? But it’s blink and you miss it and there could be lots of other reasons why Beelzebub doesn’t want to fail in locating Gabriel (pressure from/leverage over heaven, etc) so idk
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More Foreshadowing Fly content 🪰
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Episode 4: So here we’ve seen that Shax can just appear inside the Bentley bc she did it earlier to talk to Crowley. Shax only pretended to be a hitchhiker so she could be invited in because Azirpahale was driving so technically she needed permission to cross the threshold of an angel 👀
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This scene will never not destroy me the 1941 flashback is the absolute sOFTEST thing ever to happen on this show
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We really need more context here I need to see the Crowley-Furfur Monkey Rides
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Episode 5: ahahaha thank you google translate for absolutely destroying my sanity this evening
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POP goes the Ziraphale
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Okay I know you can’t hear it in the gif but just before Nina takes Maggie’s hand, there’s a very quiet miracle noise, like Azirpahale literally MADE Nina dance with Maggie, he said I’m writing a Mina Jane-Austen-Ball-AU and my otp will KISS godDAMMIT
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Azirpahale seems lowkey kind of manic this whole scene tho, he’s controlling literally everyone to force Nina and Maggie together and whenever Crowley says anything that pokes holes in Aziraphale’s Magical Jane Austen Ball Fairytale, Aziraphale just straight up denies it. He wants Nina and Maggie to dance and he wants him and Crowley to dance and he refuses to acknowledge anything beyond that.
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Is this just Shax insulting Crowley for how much of a nuisance he’s been or a reference to his former status as an angel ???
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They’re both completely dismissive of each other when they’re trying to say something important and that’s the main issue they’ve been having this entire season tbh
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Episode 6: I think it’s funny that Crowley describes the angels as bees here because in the book, Neil/Terry describe humans the same way. Guess we have more in common than we thought huh?
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So the metatron was the one who originally decided Gabriel would be memory wiped and not sent to hell, and he was also the one that decided not to sound an alarm about Gabriel for some reason and said ‘just go find him yourself’ instead. The metatron has definitely got his own agenda and you can bet he doesn’t want Aziraphale up there in heaven because he’s a “leader” and he’s “honest” like that’s exactly what Gabriel was and look where it got him 👀
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There’s just something I can’t quite put my finger on about the metatron bringing Aziraphale a coffee from “give me coffee or give me death” and then asking Aziraphale if he’s going to take the coffee he’s giving him…
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I have not seen a single person talk about this since s2 came out but Nina literally calls Maggie “angel” because that’s the term of endearment they hear Crowley using for Aziraphale !!!! I’m still going fERAL over this and I can’t believe no one else is eitHER
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Something about this part of The Final Fifteen compared to this scene from the first episode is so representative of the entire season. Azirpahale keeps saying “my way or get out” and Crowley finally hits a wall and can follow Aziraphale no further. So he does just that. He goes.
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I’m sure a lot of us by now have seen this post that brings up how Aziraphale literally pushes the remains of Crowley into his mouth and swallows and it’s the only thing I see when I watch this now
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We still don’t know for certain if Crowley queued up this song to play on their way to the Ritz or if the Bentley started playing it all on its own and it’s driving me insane
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Basically how I am doing after my Truly-Alarming-Number-th watch of this traumatizing episode/season. WELP hope you enjoyed this garbage dump of my thoughts and feelings time to go cry for a bit again BYE
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writingwithcolor · 9 months
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Avoiding the white savior of the kingdom
@ceo-of-angst asked:
Okay so I'm writing a fantasy series. There's two main kingdoms though there is a third but that one doesn't have to do anything with this ask. Both of them are likely as big as a continent each so there are different climates everywhere, therefore there's a lot of diversity even within one country. The issues mostly is between the two kingdoms nationality wise, as there's a war. The prince of one of the kingdoms kills his older brother to gain the throne. This is where the issue starts. They have a younger (half)sister who ends up leading a revolution bc of her brother's bad rule (famine, war, dictatorship and incantation or sentence to fight to the death in war to anyone who doesn't obbey the government etc), she's white, she's helped by my main cast who are all poc (one of them also from nobility) from the other kingdom and I don't want to accidently make it a white savior She's not my main character though if anything we only see into her pov bc of a difference between kingdoms in book 2. Most of the pov is on my main cast so I don't know how this could pay out.
Add diversity to the kingdom
There is a simple solution: don’t make one kingdom all-white or all-BIPOC. Add in diversity and mixed race. You seem to already be doing that, and it’s not an issue of race but rather tyranny. White saviorism is when only a white character can solve a problem for BIPOC and they’re seen as the hero. If it’s a team effort, where your protagonist is fallible but well-intentioned, you should be fine. -Jaya
Questions to ask yourself
This critique got levied at Tamora Pierce’s Trickster series, and it’s a pretty valid critique of the books—every time you have a white person as a figurehead of an otherwise-diverse movement, you’re going to start getting into why this white person, and why then?
It’s especially salient if you have the person come into an already-established rebellion movement. Is her involvement the thing that gets the privilege necessary to make the movement valid? What about her makes her the ideal top person in the organization?
Why is she white?
My first question is: why is she white? Is it related to colorism and classism? If yes, then why are you automatically making the leading group white if there’s so much diversity and so many other groups can trend extremely pale?
Why are the kingdoms so big?
My second question is: why are the kingdoms so big? It’s actually frighteningly hard to run a continent-sized country. If you’re attempting to make these single groups so big simply for ease of worldbuilding, and for diversity’s sake, know that a country does not have to be large to contain a multitude of groups. You are allowed to have political rivalry in a small area and still maintain diversity within it.
How much privilege is she willing to give up?
My third question is: how much privilege is she willing to give up? Is she trying to take the throne for herself, or is she trying to destroy all of the structures that gave her status in the first place? Because that question will determine how willing the PoC around her are going to be. Why would they support a ruler if they’ve been subjugated by that family, with no real promise she’s going to be any different once she gets in power?
On the flipside, why would she be willing to give up any of her privilege in the name of removing her brother from the throne, and what stops her from going off the deep end once she has the ability to control others?
It’s likely doable to make this situation read as less of a white saviour, but in order to do that you’ll likely need to wask yourself a lot of hard questions about your motives and the character arc you want to have with her.
People may see a white savior, regardless
And you’ll also have to ask yourself if you’ll be comfortable with never really being able to avoid some people calling this a white saviour plot. Even if you do “everything right” and follow every bit of advice you can, there’s always going to be some people who aren’t too thrilled that the person saving everyone is white.
So examine your motives, really nail down what you’re trying to show with this, and come to terms with not making everyone happy no matter what you do.
~Mod Lesya
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taylortruther · 2 months
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I actually agree with you 100% on all long-term relationship breakups being pretty much the same. When you've loved someone for so long, it means they're also part of your routines, part of your comfort, part of your home and part of your family. Their family becomes your family, their friends become your friends, their hopes and aspirations become things you care about as well as their struggles. The reasons why the rs starts falling apart aren't as simple as one or both parties no longer "being in love", but rather a combination of issues: career ambitions intolerable to the relationship for various reasons, incompatibility of personalities or of extended families, growth at different paces, the goals and wishes agreed at the start of the rs changing with time, loss of trust and connection, etc. I thought of this the other day when an anon mentioned the movie Blue Valentine, and I think the reason why that film feels so realistic (and devastating) is because all long term relationships slowly desintegrate in similar manners to what happens to the couple in the movie. And piggybacking off the discourse we had on The Alcott, it's quite desperating and frustrating to slowly realize that things that once were profoundly sacred have come to feel like a curse; you no longer feel like you're choosing everyday to be with this person out of love, but rather that you're emprisioned to them.
What we know about TTPD department so far makes me think this will be explored but not in the way many fans seem to be expecting (not you guys lol but I have seen ppl that expect the songs to be sassy, petty, and accusatory). Instead, I think we will see her show and deconstruct all the ways she fought for it to work, compromising, committing, twisting herself into a pretzel, and making herself smaller, not because he was "forcing her" like some fans think but rather from her own decision bc that's just how much she loved him. Which is even more devasting if you think of it: she locked herself away, tried to dim her shine, beared emotional burdens alone because of her own conviction and desire to make things work, not as a result of him "making her" do all of that. So imo one of the reasons this album will be particularly devastating is bc we will learn in a very raw manner just how much she loved this man and how much she was willing to give up for him, and how much regret she probably has about things she did for him that at the time felt like a no-brainer but in hindsight seem ridiculous (which is a very common thing for everyone bc that's simply what you do when you love someone; love isn't usually rational). And this will undoubtedly be very relatable for ppl who have been in ltrs that ended bc, as you say, most of them end in the same way and most of us realize how much we actually sacrificed for it only after the fact.
i agree!!! also, we know taylor never does anything by halves. we know love is basically a religion of drug to her. we know she felt that he believed in her and loved her for her at a time when she felt she was distinctly unlovable. we know she fought hard to deal with her baggage. we know she was reflecting on fame, how fickle it is, and why she wanted it so badly (miss americana doc, mirrorball, midnight rain, to name a few.) we can look at midnights to see the things that were haunting her and they were things like: dealing with fame, choosing the hard way, reckoning with loss of self, wanting to protect love that felt fragile, blocking out noise, the empowerment and loneliness of relying on oneself. midnights feels like a very honest and logical progression past folkmore, which discussed those topics as well as infidelity, taking up space, confronting depression and pain and other sticky human desires. ttpd feels like it will further touch on these complicated and sticky and dark topics, with the added "bonus" of the specter of a breakup, and the breakup itself, haunting them. anyone whose ever lost a part of themselves to try and save a relationship of any kind will understand, i think. love is a beast that way.
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genshin-obsessed · 4 months
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Hii! Hope you're having an amazing day! Can I request scaramouche, baizhu and dottore with a reader that can't sleep at night because of nightmares? They can only sleep 2-3 hours max before waking up because of another nightmare. I've been having night terrors recently out of blue so maybe some comfort might help with the issue ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ
✧ Hiya! Super cute, thanks for the request! I believe this is my first time writing for Baizhu which is suprising bc he's one of my faves. Sorry this took so long btw! ✧ Also, I genuinely feel for anyone who suffers with night terrors, I couldn't imagine what that would be like.
✧ Characters: Baizhu, Dottore, Scaramouche
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✧ Baizhu
Being a doctor, he did have some experience with night terrors before. He is wary of medication, as he knows that’s not a permanent solution.
Not only that, but night terrors have underlying conditions, which are easier to treat than the terrors, themselves. So, he'll try to work with that.
Of course, he's beside you every single night when you sleep. So, if you're thrashing or screaming, he can calm you and bring you back to reality. 2-3 hours a night isn’t enough sleep, so he’ll usually ease your stress and help you rest some more.
Getting better is going to take a long time, that's something you'll need to come to terms with but it is possible. One thing is for sure, Baizhu will never give up.
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✧ Dottore
He’s certainly seen cases before. Both mild night terrors and severe ones. He does have a few ideas to help them.
The last resort is medication for him, since it’s not the best thing to use to treat night terrors. The lack of sleep is the most worrisome for him, 2-3 is detrimental to the body.
Night terrors are frightening for both parties to deal with, so he takes it extremely seriously. It’s pretty much top priority for him. As mentioned earlier, he works on your sleeping the most. You need to sleep at least 7 hours a night.
You can expect him to be beside you every single night when you try to sleep. He’ll bring his research with him or a book, or even if he’s sleeping with you. He’ll hold your hand and even talk to you until you fall asleep. Dottore asmr.
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✧ Scaramouche
He understands as he probably has a minor case himself. Unfortunately, he’s no doctor so he doesn’t actually know how to treat it. But that doesn’t mean he won’t look for ways.
He knows doctors and so he’s quick to try and get any of them to help. When you had your visit, he paid attention to every single word spoken by the doctor.
Scaramouche takes it extremely seriously. Not only that, he understands how detrimental it could be both psychologically and physically. He tries his best to find ways to soothe you back into sleeping.
Scara will try to make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep in a day. It’s ok if it’s not in one night. As long as you rest. He keeps a close eye on your diet as well to make sure you have enough energy and sugars in a day and not go overboard.
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lowkeyrobin · 3 months
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QSMP ; how much their eggs like you
includes ; tubbo & sunny, wilbur & tallulah, charlie & juanaflippa, quackity & tilin, jaiden & empanada and philza & chayanne
warnings ; language, mentions of parental neglect
genre ; fluff, little bit of angst if you squint
pronouns used ; they/them , partner
AN ; I'm not like super into qsmp yet, so bare with me, ik most of them have like multiple parents/caregivers but I picked the ones I know the most about and the qsmp wiki is currently my life saver. the eggs are so cute so I can't not wrkte a little something about them 💔💔💔💔 I apologize bc this is gonna be so ooc... also ik juanaflippa and tilin died but ignore that
masterlist
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TUBBO & SUNNY
Sunny is very iffy about you at first
"pa, who is that?"
"uhhh... that's y/n" Tubbo answers, "my partner"
she stares at both of you for a second like 🤨😒
they think their dislike of themselves of others is totally unfair and only relies on a select few people so trying to get used to you in a whole story in itself
tubbo, charlie, lenay, and polispol do their best to try and tell her "Hey they're cool, sunny, it's okay, they love you!!" but she won't budge
takes her a long while to accept you into the lil family but she ends up loving you
money is the way to their heart
if only anyone had told you sooner...
WILBUR & TALLULAH
tallulah instantly loves you
she's very quiet around you at first and hides behind will but quickly gets used to your presence
she's just a little anxious at first yk
"I love pa's new partner :3"
she loves playing the flute for you and talking about star wars with you it's the cutest thing
like you'll just be watching over her for Will or Phil and she's just so comfortable talking about her passions with you
Tallulah loves reassuring your builds and likes helping you as well, if you're unsure of how something looks, she's quick to reassure you that it looks good!
she gets you little gifts and shit it's the most adorable thing
her desire for validation mostly drives her kindness to you but she does actually appreciate you a lot
you seem to be there when no one else is and she frequently gives you 'I love you's and little flowers and stuff
she has abandonment issues so you make sure to always check behind yourself to make sure she's still following you
you refuse to leave her anywhere
always looks at you with a 😊 or 🤩 no explanation
she always refers to you as 'ma/pa' or a special nickname. like a syllable of your actual name or smthn, like something special for you two lol
you constantly tell and reassure each other that you're so awesome, great dynamic honestly
CHARLIE & JUANAFLIPPA
She's very quiet and reserved, but obedient
that automatic obediencey grew as a part of her and she just automatically accepted you into the family
although charlie and mariana were very negligent parents, she still trusted them and did as they said
you were the total opposite
it was what she wanted with you two, she has the freedom
you constantly argue w charlie over being a neglectful parent (character not irl)
she's very brave and courageous, and knows how to stay positive
you have personal beef w her parents bc they're such asses to her /hj
she loves guns.
she teaches you how to use guns as well
bonding time in the enclosure 🤞🤞🤞
she lived a short life but she's literally a part of you now
QUACKITY & TILIN
very sweet and caring but also chaotic and edgy
you showed her love and she CLUNG to you
"y/n is my favorite person, not you, pa"
they were always looking to give and receive love to/from everyone but quackity made it so hard for them
even after expressing being mad at quackity for not paying attention to them, they still loved him
shit broke your heart
he literally died bc of neglect from quackity bruh
constantly fighting w quackity over them being neglected :( (character not irl)
all they wanted was love man
you did your best to show her love and make memories with her since quackity clearly barely wanted to
quackity promised he'd be a better dad but uh...
towards the end of their life, they started getting depressed and stuff, you obviously noticed
you just laid on the floor with him, listening to all he had to say, just being there for him
anyways this is getting sad
they love you so much, tells you constantly that they love you and appreciate you
cutie patootie
JAIDEN & EMPANADA
em is very loving, instantly accepts you into the family, although a little cautious at first
you make her sweet foods all the time
absolutely loves you sm
always repays you with flowers or little treasures
"I got you flowers, ma/pa!"
she has a passion for baking with Niki, so sometimes you three (Niki and Em + you watching or burning the house down) have little baking days
jaiden just watching you guys be silly and do dumb shit like "I think I won with this one, guys"
you and jaiden spoiling the hell out of her LMAO
PHILZA & CHAYANNE
used to be more quiet but now talks a lot more
very energetic, your energies match perfectly
very responsible, looks over you if anything
he's always eager for adventure so you guys go explore often while phil and missa are busy
teaches you combat tricks and tips
literally a walking 'top 5 best combat tips and tricks' video I swear
he's very confident as well, likes to pvp with wooden swords with you
he always wins
you aren't even trying to let him win, he's just a god
I mean he's being raised by Phil and Missa so it makes sense LMAO
"I want pvp with y/n :("
"chayanne, they're not online, I'm sorry"
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comradekatara · 2 months
Note
So, we don't often see Sokka being really passed off at anyone in the show. We see him being angry with Aang when he burned Katara, with Han bc of course, but like, Katara gets mad quickly, and it frizzles out, but I feel like, actually angry Sokka is dangerous, and no one is willing to see how dangerous he is going to be.
Thoughts?
I mean, sokka gets pissed off a lot. at idiocy, foolishness, incompetence, cowardice, rashness, cruelty, corruption, naïveté, illogic, callousness, heedlessness, and so on and so forth. he makes definite exceptions, but he’s constantly objecting to pretty much everyone and everything. besides the obvious blindspots in his judgment (usually father issues, occasionally a pretty girl) he is a ruthless critic chugging haterade at all times. even just mentioning your horoscope in his vicinity gets his heartrate spiking (and ppl wonder how/why he died relatively young). but you’re right, sokka isn’t really rageful in the way katara is.
it’s in fact crucial that while katara is motivated by blinding rage during her lifechanging fieldtrip/apotheosis, sokka is motivated by blinding guilt. sokka really only freaks out when aang hurts katara, hahn demeans yue (among other things), and azula threatens suki. and in all three scenarios, his rage overtakes him due to his own guilt. he feels that he, personally, has failed by “putting” katara, yue, and suki in danger.
as we know, sokka has deeply internalized the patriarchal logic that dictates that he must act a protector figure, especially towards girls. and sokka’s protectiveness is so entrenched in his identity that even when someone he cares for experiences harm in a way that is beyond his control, he feels directly implicated in their suffering, and the guilt plagues him. in the case of yue and suki, being imprisoned (metaphorically and literally) was a choice they made (obviously not an ideal choice, but an expression of their own duty, resigning themselves to suffering for what they believe to be the greater good). and yet, since sokka feels that it is his burden to carry all the world’s suffering for others (especially if those others happen to be a sibling, girlfriend, or parent), receiving definitive proof (and in the case of hahn and azula, deliberate taunts) clarifying that sokka is fundamentally unable to bear the brunt of everyone’s pain for them is what causes him to snap and physically attack them without first stopping to consider the consequences.
unlike katara, who is guided by impulse, sokka usually does first stop to think. very rarely does he let his rage overtake him the way she does. but occasionally, his own guilt complex is threatened to the point of overtaking his logic and letting his violent impulses take the wheel. this is magnified tenfold in the boiling rock, which is the ultimate expression of sokka acting rashly out of guilt. this time his failure isn’t even tangential, as he was actually responsible for the loss at the invasion that resulted in the imprisonment of those he has always most wanted to emulate, including his ultimate role model, hakoda. of course such overwhelming guilt would prompt him to feel as if he had no other choice but to save his father or die trying.
sokka is also full of rage, but unlike katara, his rage is only truly triggered when it is turned inward. katara blames others for her problems to a fault; only to aang does she ever actually apologize and take responsibility for her actions. sokka, on the other hand, internalizes blame to an absolutely absurd degree, and as much as it may seem like he is constantly finding fault with everyone around him, that ruthless criticism is really just a milder externalization of his own perpetual self-criticism, which is the sharpest and most ruthless of all.
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caineinthecorner · 6 months
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Hi. I binged like 80 chats in a row and I have opinions(tm) about physical strength and general power stuff of the brothers. Mostly just strength related things, but I tried to cover most of their battle stuff.
Yes I know, yes I know, "they're ranked as siblings by power blabla", but that's LAME. So here are my personal takes mostly for fun. Canon is dead and I ate it.
Also I finished the dividers and general aesthetics of this blog woo
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★ Lucifer.
Generally the strongest, period, can and WILL kill almost anyone without much issue or even second thought
Physical strength, however? He’s not the best, as he doesn’t rely on it at all for battle / conflict
He didn't need it in heaven, after all
(Beel was his brawns and he was already a powerful angel so it never was a requirement)
I don't see him actively working out (anymore, at least), so most of his strength is merely his baseline
His main tactic conflict wise is intimidation.
Cough giving MC death threats cough
Very prideful of himself in battle, obviously
Rarely would ever use any sort of dirty tricks
Would probably prefer to go down the "honorable way"
Target his brothers though and he WILL play every trick in the book with little regard to his pride or his own life
This fuck looks like he knows swordsmanship and is probably the only of the brothers who does so
(except maybe Satan who is learning just to copy / be better than him)
Either that or he knows fancy sword dances for angel rituals he cannot partake in anymore (and doesn't do them anymore)
Diavolo has photos of him doing said dances but his lips are triple sealed since it is a heavily touchy subject
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★ Mammon.
Canonically this man is physically weak (or at least has a weak complexion / scrawny arms)
Probably the most disappointing in terms of strength because he is literally the second born
His saving grace is his unholy speed and dirty tricks, using it to cover his weaknesses / lack of physical strength.
A LOT of dirty tricks and bs magic stuff. So so many. Never ends
He’s the living embodiment of the “random bullshit go!!!” meme
You know Looney tunes? Yeah this man has the Bugs bunny's levels of bullshit
But he has the best stamina out of his brothers (so he can run away from his debts)
Doesn't train because he's already perfect as it is (<- that's his ego talking he can barely pick up the weights at Beel's gym)
Honor is for the dead type of person. Nothing is out of the table in battle
(^ that makes him terrifying to fight against btw)
He either tries to intimidate (imitating Lucifer) or sweet-talk his way out of conflict
It usually just pisses off his adversary more which actually leads to the fights starting, but hey, he tried 乁⁠(⁠ ⁠•⁠_⁠•⁠ ⁠)⁠ㄏ
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★ Leviathan.
Physical strength is shit.
he will get his shit kicked if he tries to brawl with almost anyone
Except maybe the lowest hanging fruit (humans)
Magical or general strength is decent, but he's definitely not the greatest in battle out of the brothers
^ he's kinda insecure about this and he wishes he were stronger (he sulks about it)
Wishes that actual irl battles were like Fire Emblem or strategy games bcs he's actually good in those
Update: I didn't make it clear (mb lol) but I see him as the best strategist of the brothers by far, he just isn't good at front-line action
^ Being away from the front lines keeps the pressure away from him for the most part, and it avoids him getting riled up and acting rash
He once tried to workout with Beel but quickly got overwhelmed because Beel shoved 200kg weights onto him thinking it was an reasonable starting point
So he kinda has trauma(tm) about it
Despite his garbage physical prowess, he WILL start fights and get riled up easily
He goes onto his demon form immediately when he wants to fight
^ bcs his strength isn't great, and he needs any boost he can get
Plus, awful anger management
My man will get onto a fist fight with the demon equivalent of a redditor over anime waifus and he will lose
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★ Satan.
As the literal embodiment of Wrath, he does pack quite a punch and will maul you to death with only his fists. No problems at all
But that's merely his baseline strength (which is a lot) since he doesn’t really train physically
Probably focuses on other areas (read: intelligence) instead of physical strength.
Which is ironic because he could kick Lucifer's ass in a fist fight if he actually trained more
But oh well. Books do be booking
Surprisingly strategic while in fights, although not above Going Apeshit
Funnily enough the least likely of the brothers to enter a fight
Has read The Art Of War and will quote it just to be a smartass
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★ Asmodeus.
Physically? Weak.
Probably the weakest of the brothers, having more or less the strength of a human (and on the weaker side of that).
He doesn’t train whatsoever; Likes his slender figure and muscles “ruin” that.
However, he makes up for it on the "trickster" scale.
As the Avatar of Lust, he will probably go the charm route instead of wanting to directly fight his enemies, or he make someone else do the dirty work for him.
Think of Mammon but make it a bit less scummy, tricks wise.
His go-to is sweet talk.
Something something the Avatar of Lust being physically weak since sex is considered an act of vulnerability and therefore the lowering of one’s guard something something
Something something the poetic narrative of the Avatar of Lust having only power through Communication something something
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★ Beelzebub.
Contrary to Asmo; he does lift for days and can pack quite the punch, being one of the stronger brothers physically despite being one of the youngest.
I don't see him caring much for magic or other types of strength, he is content in packing the punch and has the capabilities to back him up.
Fight wise he will probably punch the problems away
Maybe use one or two tricks he’s learned
Mostly relies on his intuition and gut and it surprisingly works out
Nothing fancy; Dictionary definition of all muscle no brain battle wise
Literally one of the scariest brothers to ever fight he will actually beat you to a bloody pulp
And make a smoothie out of it
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★ Belphegor.
This fucker doesn't lift at all you can't tell me shit
At MOST he'll accompany Beel to the gym and would sleep at the benches
The strength he has is the strength he was born with
Which isn't a lot, but still above human average by quite a lot
More or less demon standard of strength. Maybe a slightly below it
But he's still above most demons by a mile in other regards, mostly magic prowess
He's stronger than Levi because I think it would be hilarious that the dude who sleeps all day is stronger than him
(or you can make him really physically strong just because it'd be funny to see the sleepy dude kick ass)
(either way is funny as shit go ham)
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★ Physical strength chart
Behemoth type strength :
Beel (only barely)
Lucifer
Satan
High / Low above human average :
Mammon
Belphie (low diff w/ mammon)
Levi
Asmo
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★General strength chart
Can kill hundreds no effort :
Lucifer
Satan (If apeshit)
Are not as strong but still terrifying :
Mammon
Beel
Belphie
Levi, Asmo (Tie)
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pizzagame4000 · 1 month
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NOISETTE THEMED DOODLE DUMP ft. cheesecake and the spouses
copious hazel headcanons under the cut because i can’t help myself
first off: her name is Hazel 👍🏻 ik that’s a common one but it’s literally perfect… canon info to me
her favorite thing to do, besides making experimental food, is actually exercising! she’s an incredibly skilled acrobat and stunt artist, so she needs to be fit for that, but she also just enjoys letting the excess energy out bc she gets really cranky otherwise. she’s toned af and could wipe the floor with you - she doesn’t go around picking fights for no good reason, but if she did… heehee
she has such an unending well of passion for all of her interests that some find her to be too much but she dgaf… she’s unabashedly autistic and does NOT care if you don’t want to hear her infodump about obscure cheeseslime genetics, she will do it anyways
i like to think that, although she is very bubbly, she has an insane morbid streak that catches people off guard. she loves talking about anatomy and gross-out subjects to anyone who can stomach it, and cracks the most fucked up jokes - it’s one of the reasons her and noise get along so well. she is thinking about blood and guts because she thinks it’s interesting!!!! she will give you hyperspecific graphic threats of violence if you make her mad!!! teehee!!
i would put her at like… chaotic neutral but leaning towards good. she has an almost scientific fascination with violence and seeing what kinds of stress a body can take, and doesn’t mind watching shit unfold instead of helping… unless something actually super fucked up is going on (like way past canon typical pizza tower violence), she’s not going to bat for you lol she’s gonna grab a camera and clipboard
her interest in anatomy branches out into a love for biology, medicine and health in general - as much as she loves watching her boyfriend beat the shit out of some chump on live tv, she also loves studying how different creatures work and how to treat injuries. she almost became a doctor! but she didn’t like the rigid schedule and pressure, so she fostered her interest in dance and gymnastics, and went into television as a stunt double instead. that’s actually how she met noise! that’s why they look so much alike - she was told to inquire NTV for a job because of the resemblance. noise thought she was so cool she was asked to be his co-star instead, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.
sometimes she gets tired of the noisette persona, but she does genuinely like theo, so it’s hard. she’s been more busy with this NTV gig (that’s looking more like a full blown career) than she would like, so that’s why she opened her cafe - to do something else for once dammit!! she likes weird shit, food included!!!
i have two shipping scenarios i like, so consider these parallel universes - hazel x vigi, and hazel x vigi x noise
if you don’t like negative takes on the noise relationship i’d recommend skipping to 2 ^_^
1. her relationship with noise deteriorates bc noise can’t accept the fact that hazel doesn’t wanna be noisette all the time! they’re so busy, he barely even makes time for her anymore - he barely even tolerates her! it’s not until vigi comes into the picture that she realizes she doesn’t have to deal w that mess. but it sucks cuz noise isn’t just her bf, but also like!!! a big part of her career!!! and she does genuinely love him but he’s just!!! an uncommunicative ass!!! it culminates in hazel leaving him and crashing at vigi’s farm because fuck it, it’s her life she does what she wants. she will kiss the cheese AND rebuild her tv career, on her own terms this time baybee
2. noise and hazel still have that issue but they actually communicate like adults and fix their relationship problems, so none of that shit happens! happy ending! hazel has her own life and theo actually lets his gf know he loves her! woah! enter vigi, in: “we saw you across the bar and we really dig your vibe…” imagining vigi as a third to hazel and theo, completely out of his depth but too bisexual to care, is SO funny to me lol… like hazel and him are probably the only two together at first but over time he and theo warm up to each other more (gay intent) and it’s perfect
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the-s1lly-corner · 6 months
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tadc cast with a s/o who hates touch.
BUT when they finally get comfortable with the characters they get soooo touchy (as in hugs ,hand holding etc)
Sorry if i didnt make myself clear
And thank you for your work!! ;)
TADC cast x reader who's warming up to touch!
So sorry for taking so long to get to this anon <\3!! I recently went back to writing on mobile due to back pain from sitting at my computer and it's really done a number on my efficiency <\3
That said I hope you enjoy!
Side note does anyone know any tips on how to soothe sore throats? Preferably not with honey because honey naoes my throat swell and itch 😭😭
This post ended up being waaaaaay longer than I first intended so I hope yall are ready to eat up
LAST MINUTE NOTE I misread/misinterpreted this as "reader finally taking a step towards initiating affection for the first time" and not "they're already comfortable and LOVE touch" I am so so dumb but I already have this written <\3 I hope you enjoy this regardless anon 😭😭😭
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CAINE:
I think Caine would struggle with the no touching thing especially since I see him being very affectionate both verbally and physically. That said I do think he eventually gets the hang of it and stops himself from throwing his arms around you for a hug... he amps up the verbal affirmations to make up for it though! He doesnt wanna make you unhappy so hes gonna respect your boundaries and take things slow!
As for when you start easing yourself into it, I think he would try to not make a big deal out of it, as not to risk embarrassing you. As someone who doesnt like touch as well as being hesitant to initiate it, I think I wouldnt want a big hoorah about it you know? But that's just me
He does subtly know hes proud of you for being able to take that step, even if you two are only holding hands via linking your pinkies together
POMNI:
I dont think pomni would be crazy about touch imo, she seems like the type to seize up when you touch her without warning. And I'm not saying that as something to be ashamed of because honestly me too. So I think this is one where you both need to have heavy communication in order to push past that and get used to touching one another ! Team work makes the dream work or however the saying goes
That said imagine you two grab each others hands bc something startles you/you both run from something (be it a prank from jax or an IHA or an abstracted) and you both just
Stare down at your interlocked hands. Experimentally squeezing each other before both relaxing into it
I think that would be a cute idea
RAGATHA:
Just like caine she is so so understanding. But unlike caine, she doesnt struggle all that much with trying go restrain from giving you physical affection. Ragatha naturally shows her love through quality time and gift giving, so she doesnt often feel the urge to wrap her arms around you, much less unprompted. Especially with your discomfort in mind
In the event that you come over to her, maybe lay your head on her shoulder while shes reading, I think she would stiffen up a little out of surprise, before gently leaning her heads against yours. Its nice, its quiet, and its comfortable. You two both peacefully exist like that for a while... good thing you guys probably dont have organs because ragathas heart would be pounding so fast, shes just so proud of you that the adrenaline kind of gets to her
JAX:
I think this might be the main one where there may be conflict.
Not because jax belittles your discomfort or tries to push the boundaries. No, I dont think he would, especially when you two get serious. Like would he probably poke you in the beginning before realizing it genuinely brings great discomfort? Yes. Would he stop when he finds out it's an issue for you? Also yes. Again, hes an asshole but I dont think he would be outright ab*sive
No, the reason why I think kay there may be conflict is because behind closed doors, jax can be very clingy and physically touchy, he would want to lay on top of you and hold you and that kind of stuff. That one ask with clingy jax hcs changed me
I think, if you ever try to initiate touch first he would say something kind of mean before he can stop himself. "About time" or something. Like he means it lightheartedly but like. He immediately regrets it, especially since that can just be so... eidkcmc.. when you're trying to come out of your shell in regards to something
Easily has the worst reaction, make him sleep on the metaphorical couch
I think he would do anything to fix that though, you're his lil bun afterall
KINGER:
Kinger is big on touch, he likes handholding and putting his hand on your shoulder. But ultimately he would respect you and not touch you.. honestly kinger can be the same way depending on the day. Either he hates touch and doesnt want anyone or anything touching him, or he needs to be held in order to keep his mind set straight. Poor guy. He just like me frfr.
Honestly gets a little spooked when you gently set your head on his lap, announcing you're going to take a nap while you two hang out in the pillow fort. Kind of gives a soft and surprised "oh!" Before going as still as a statue. Does he stay put? Does he run his hand through your hair? Does he keep up his bug ramble? Does he pipe down?
Ultimately he sits there quietly while you sleep
Expects that to be a one time thing, but he notices you're slowly becoming more physically affectionate. He outwardly shows his support and pride for you
ZOOBLE:
Another one who doesnt really like touch, but instead of it being a discomfort it's just a "I dont like it" thing you know? I mean what did you expect? Zooble doesnt interact much with people unless they're forced to, so it makes sense that touch isnt their thing. So this actually works out very well for you two.
Just like the pomni segment, you guys are going to have to do a lot of communication in regards to introducing stuff like cuddling and hand holding ect into the relationship and finding what works for you while keeping both parties satisfied. I think in the end zooble would be supportive, and even try to esse themselves into the whole thing. So you dont have to do it alone, you know?
GANGLE:
Honestly I think shes too shy and/or unconfident to initiate physical affection herself so the topic never really came up. Which... is a bit odd since it regards a comfort thing for you as well as gangle possibly thinking that you dont enjoy her company; assuming you never really tell her that touch brings you discomfort
But because we love healthy stuff here, let's assume you guys set down boundaries and stuff before getting together
I still think gangle would have some teeny tiny feeling that they arent the best for you. She knows its unfair to think that for both of you, but like. Its one of those nagging mean voices we all have/get at some point, you know?
Probably lets out a little squeak when you slowly wrap one of her arms around your hand and wrist. Kind of just stands there frozen. Too scared to speak up or move, fearing she would ruin the moment
Honestly I think gangle isnt used to touch (that isnt neutral or in passing), so this is going to be a little experience for her. You're both in this together now, basically
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drdemonprince · 2 months
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something im kind of connecting the dots to re: your posts about shaming people who don’t wear masks…in ‘20 and ‘21 I spent a lot of time posting shaming instagram stories telling people they needed to mask, and i yelled at family until i was blue in the face bc they weren’t masking, having big weddings, etc. and it really created a rift (obviously) in my relationships. I’ve also spent a lot of time and energy in the past 4 or so years telling people that it’s not possible to be an ally to trans people if they still engage in any media created by jk rowling. Especially given that her anti trans manifesto has been cited in anti trans legislation in the uk, she says that she assumes that anyone who continues to engage with Harry Potter media approves of her transphobia, etc the list goes on. And yet i still see my friends going to the wizarding world of Harry Potter, marathoning the movies with their friends, going to see the new movies in theaters, and so on. Obviously my aggressive shaming posts and conversations (which have alienated a lot of people) aren’t doing jack shit. Your mask shame posts made me realize that it probably wasn’t right of me to do that. But I don’t see how I can stand up for what I believe in and show people that it’s not okay to keep doing this shit AND play nice and not create trouble. Do you have any thoughts?
Thanks for this great question and for sharing your experiences.
I think when we shame, part of it is a grappling with our own powerlessness. It feels terrible to confront that no matter how much we care, and no matter how much we plead, we cannot make another person take action. When people we love or rely on won't hear our pleas and won't take action, it wounds us so deeply, and it makes sense we react in anger or seek to shame them hoping it will make them care. But it isn't effective.
I think one of the first steps is accepting our powerlessness as individuals. We have to stop expecting ourselves to somehow persuade people to change their behavior and views, when all the research indicates that such change is rare, slow, and very hard, and cannot be accomplished on a person who does not already want to be influenced. We have to sit in the humility of not being able to make others care, and take time to grieve how badly it hurts. Our understandable and huge hurt feelings need to be processed. many of us have a powerful need to express our rage and have it witnessed by others who understand.
From there, we have to think very strategically about what kind of collective work we can do that will shift social norms, facilitate the behavior we want to see, and fight for systemic changes that will actually address the root issues.
This may be things like passing out masks at protests. Joining a local mutual aid fund to contribute to the expenses of people who are quarantining. Protesting an event space to make them institute a masking policy. Unionizing with our coworkers to demand paid sick leave. Shoplifting tests and redistributing them to people in need. Terrorizing the business leaders who dragged us all back into the office. Sharing the wastewater data. Asking loved ones about their COVID mitigation decisions in a sincere way. Organizing outdoor events for our communities. Paying for a buddy's vaccine.
There are countless ways for us to be plugged into an active community that is larger than us. The work is humble, and ongoing, and what you do personally will never be enough on its own, and you must accept that in order to believe that it does not have to be. We are in this together.
In short, I think the tough emotional realities of feeling disrespected and not cared for much be addressed by finding community with people who do care and will give us room to voice our outrage. And then we have to work together to create the circumstances that allow real systemic change to germinate.
Right now, people conflate that emotional need to express rage with the political need to take action. And what feels cathartic to do or say is not necessarily what's persuasive. There has to be room for both.
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