#but i could write an essay on this RIGHT NOW

[prongsiepotter]

down bad | j. potter

summary: you're so in love with james potter but he's a little too good at giving you mixed signals that it might actually ruin you

pairing: james potter x reader

warnings: angst, a little fluff if u squint, and so much longing & yearning. omg so much of it

a/n: i am unfortunately completely obsessed with taylor swift's new album, so everything i'll write in the near future will be based on one of the ttpd songs (yey!) & this one's based on 'down bad.' feel free to send requests if u want pick the next song for me x

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"So he just said no?" Mary all but hisses. Marlene shushes her, glancing around the classroom before leaning down from where she's sitting on your desk.

"Are you sure it didn't mean something else?" She rests her hand on yours. "Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. He wouldn't…he just wouldn't, right?" You smile weakly at her, then shake your head. She squeezes your hand.

"The note was pretty clear," you say with a soft sigh. The sentence rolls off your tongue with unhidden bitterness. "Sorry, can't. Need to catch up on some assignments."

You would show it to them, so they could see for themselves and maybe divert their sympathetic gazes from you. But you had set it on fire right after reading it, just like the other two notes friendly rejecting you. You still aren't sure why you did it. After all, you did just tell Mary and Marlene that you're fine. At least you will be. You should not be this devastated over some guy.

Even if that guy is James Potter.

James who is now strolling into the room with his mates, looking as invincible and full of life as he always has and always will.

Quickly, you force a smile at the girls and pull out the chair next to you. Marlene, bless her, gets the hint and lightly shoves Mary's shoulder to have her take the seat. You're going through your book bag, pulling out your inkwell when four bodies make their way past your desk.

"Ladies," comes Sirius cheerfully loud voice as he bows at the waist because, of course, he does. Peter and Remus aren't as dramatic with their greetings. The latter, however, does take the time to slow down in front of you until you look up and return his kind smile. Belatedly, you realise perhaps you shouldn't have done that. You lock eyes with James, who's right behind him.

He sends you an easy smile and a wink. Like he's letting you in on another one of his rare secrets. You're not sure if you're smiling back, but it's almost a given that you are.

He takes his seat behind you, laughing blithely at a joke Pete just told, and it's all so painfully charming that you want to die. You fear he will always make you feel like this. Like you're somehow the chosen one. It's such a sickening feeling, you can't help but whip around and look at Mary, pleadingly. Though, you're not sure what you're pleading for anymore.

She shoots you another unbearably sympathetic smile, looking like she's close to cooing at you. You sigh, hiding your face in the crook of your arms.

You can't help but think how easy it would be to just cry right here. It's embarrassing to admit, but you've done it plenty of times over the weekend after you had seen James out at Hogsmeade with the others. Miserably, you had realised that he was, in fact, not too busy working on his assignments. He just didn't want to spend time with you.

You almost let out a sob.

A hand rubs your back and you know it can only be Mary, but you let yourself believe that it's the universe consoling you, as if to say there, there because there's nothing fair about this and she knows it, but there's nothing she can do it about now, can she?

History of Magic passes in a blur. Before you know it, you're in the library, pouring all of yourself into an essay that you normally couldn't have cared less for. But you're willing to do whatever it takes to keep yourself busy. You know your thoughts will stray the moment you're lying quietly in bed anyway, awaiting another sleepless night.

You finish the sentence and look up, satisfied with your work. Apparently it's been a while since you've torn your gaze away from the parchment before you, seeing how stiff your neck is. You knead at the uncomfortable knot in your shoulder while looking around the library. It's relatively full today with every other seat being taken.

Which makes it all the more irritating when your gaze snatches on a figure sat at the other table right across from you. He's not even looking up, head bent over a book, but you would recognise that mop of unruly dark curls anywhere. James must've seen you when he came in, but that might have just been your hopeful self speaking.

Begrudgingly, you resume your writing and it takes everything in you not to look up every few minutes. To glimpse the slight furrow in his brows and the small pout of his lips as he's carefully reading every paragraph. You know he's likely looking for something to prepare for a prank. Normally, you would simply go over and ask him what he's up to. You know he'd happily tell you. But you're glad to have at least a little bit of pride and dignity left that keeps you rooted in your spot.

Seemingly not enough though since all you can think about is that there's no way he doesn't know that you're right there. It really does make you want to bang your head against the table. Maybe that would finally catch James' attention.

Pathetically, you glance at him only to notice that he's packing his things to leave. The tip of your feather goes back to the parchment so fast, it almost pierces it. You haven't got a clue what you're writing, too busy tracking James' movements from the corner of your eyes.

You watch him stand up, walking down the length of his table towards the door down the hall on his right. Then he stops. You hold your breath. James seemingly hesitates before fixing the strap of his bag on his shoulder. He turns left and walks towards you. You're staring at your hand as it writes illegible words, completely out of your control, when you feel a tap on your shoulder.

"Hey," James whispers when you look up, giving you a familiar grin and small wave. It's an innocent gesture, sweet, but there's almost something hostile about this encounter. Like you have no choice but to let him occupy every single one of your senses. You stare up at him, a matching smile sweeping over your lips before you can think better of it.

That's when you notice the scarf he's wearing and its frizzled ends. It's yours. You know it is.

Did he not give it back to you after one of your nights out together on the stands? After you had flown on your brooms, so close to the sea of stars that you could've dipped your fingertips in them? You could almost hear the echoes of your windblown laughters as the memory pushes itself into the foreground of your mind.

James is sitting still, rosy-cheeked, watching you with curious eyes while you babble on about the Leo constellation. He had just told you that you could do whatever you want to him—another quite maddening thing to casually say to someone—and now he's apparently keen on staying true to his word by letting you wrap your scarf around his neck.

It took some convincing before he'd finally accepted it from you. You promised that you wouldn't be cold with your high collared sweater, but James only gave in when you had accepted his wool hat in exchange.

He had carefully put it on you, smoothing down your hair and pulling out some loose strands to frame your face, mumbling something about how much lovelier his hat looked on you than on him. You told yourself that he surely must've known what it did to you when his knuckles brushed your cheeks. Right? Surely.

James pokes your side, chuckling, as if he sensed that your mind was drifting elsewhere. He cracks another joke, saying that if you were the one to teach him Astronomy, he might actually pay attention in class. He says it like it's a deal and you feel inclined to do whatever it takes to hold up your side of the bargain.

You laugh helplessly, feeling drunk on a little bit of everything; the stars above, James' gentle laughter, the familiar smell of broom wax and crisp winter air. This must be cosmic love, you think to yourself. Your breath clouds in front of you, becoming one with his. All the while, you're too aware of James' shoulder bumping into you, his leg pressed against yours. There's no one out here but you two.

You have all the room in the world, but James chose to sit this close to you. Probably close enough for him to hear your heart pounding. Did he do it for a reason? You'd love to know.

"You don't need me to pay attention in Astronomy," you find yourself saying in response, something daring laced in the drawl of your voice. His eyes flash, bright and a bit wild. It's the same look he gets after you challenge him to a race on your brooms. His grin grows wide, carefree, and oh so lovely.

"Please." His face comes impossibly closer and you lean in without another thought, eager to take whatever it is James will give you. You feel his breath on your lips.

"I will always need you, Y/N."

Somehow he makes it sound genuine.

Then he winks and leaves you a horrid, forsaken mess. Somehow he makes that feel like a nice gesture too.

Incredulously, you stare at him as he leans back, elbows resting on the seats behind him. James Potter, you think weakly, what are you doing to me? Not for the first time you ponder what you would do if you can't have him. You almost double over from the striking pain in your chest.

Then he points out another constellation and you nearly forget all about yourself. He's good at that. Never ceasing to show you that the world is bigger than the two of you. Making you forget and remember that you might be in love. Because what if you were in love?

James cups the back of his neck, then points towards the door of the library, almost shyly letting you know that he's leaving. You nod slowly, still dazed. A small smile crosses his lips before you watch him round the corner, his back disappearing from your sight.

You blink, letting out a ragged breath. You feel like you got the wind knocked out of you. Like you just lost your twin. Someone who knows you like no one else ever will. Someone who might just be your better half. Someone who sometimes makes you feel like they want nothing to do with you.

It's ridiculous, you think bleakly to yourself, you're so down bad.

And James Potter makes it feel like a curse and a blessing.

#james potter #james potter x reader #james potter fanfiction #james potter fic #james potter fluff #james potter imagine #james potter x you #james potter x y/n #marauders fanfiction #marauders #taylor swift #ttpd #the tortured poets department

[reclinepilled]

worn out abby anderson

cw; smut, comfort, soft dom!reader, power sub!abby, oral sex, pet names, masturbation, i think thas it :P

wc; 1.5k (surprising.)

a/n; hai guys omigosh i haven’t posted a work in sooo long, idk if this is that great but i missed writing honestly. writer’s block KICKED my ass 😔. anyways i’ve conquered and prospered so stay tuned for more uploads. don’t forget to smash that like button and sub! also i literally can’t see any asks/reqs for some reason so there’s that. reblogs are greatly appreciated <33

don’t stop talking about palestine!

the rain that patters on the windows surrounding you, and the soft glow coming from the ambient lights in the kitchen creates a perfectly calm atmosphere for you. it definitely amps up your productivity as you type away, completing the work your professor had oh so gracefully assigned on the weekend. you were so engulfed in perfectly forming your thesis for your psychology essay, you didn’t hear the click of the front door and your girlfriend’s heavy boots trudging in.

it actually took a terrifying thunderclap to snap you out of the trance your laptop screen had you in. your attention is stolen from the rustling coming from the hall, quickly realizing your girlfriend has made it home. you push yourself from the kitchen island and scurry to the hallway. slowly rounding the corner, you see your disheveled girlfriend. braid messed up, flyaways sticking to her forehead and neck due to the weather conditions outside. she looks up from her bag, that thuds on the floor, to you. abby has always had a pouty face, though right now, it was much poutier. you could visibly see how worn out she was, her harsh job actually taking a toll on her for once.

it saddens you to see her like this. your expression softens seeing how her hands were covered in grime and calluses. you slowly stroll over to her, pulling her in for a longing hug. she quickly returns the hug, letting out a sigh of relief that shamelessly went straight to your core.

she’s careful not to get the muck on her hands on her your oversized tee. she’s always careful with you, you loved that about her. it brought you so much comfort, and all you wanted to do right now was return the favor.

“tough day today, baby?” you pull her arms closer to you, implying you didn’t care about getting dirty at the moment. you just wanted to be as close as possible. “mhm,” she sighs again, slowly rocking you. she buries her damp face into your neck, unashamedly inhaling your scent. you turn your head to pepper her temple in kisses before you cradle your hands around her tired face, lifting her head. you give her a sweet smile while you move your hands to grab hers.

you lead her to the living room, letting her go to let her slump against the couch, so she’s finally able to rest her back. she sighs again, but so softly you could’ve missed it if you weren’t watching her intently. she manspreads as she leans her head back on the plush couch, closing her eyes. you hated seeing abby so weary. thankfully, it was a very rare sighting.

you wanted to make her feel better and wipe that fatigued look off of her face, and you decide to do it the best way you could currently.

you plop yourself onto her thick lap. like clockwork, she wraps her hands around your waist. she swore your waist was carefully crafted for her muscular arms, “they fit like a puzzle piece” she would frequently state. you close in the bit of distance between your two faces, giving her a soft kiss she had yearned for since she left that morning. your hand travels up abby’s face to softly rub her warm cheek. there was no fight for dominance in the kiss, just affection that abby desperately needed after working like a dog. you pull away from her soft, sullen lips to cover her neck in open-mouthed pecks. she leans her head back, sighing for the third time tonight—this sigh was cleary different.

she lifts her head and one of her hands travel to your ass, then up your shirt to cup one of your tits. you airily sigh then lean in for a kiss again, this one feeling a bit more heated. your tongues clash together as you both savor the warmth the kiss brings. abby can taste your sticky gloss, making her groan. she plays with your hardening nipple, catching your soft whimpers into her mouth. she can feel herself getting wetter by the second, you could too. she removes her hand and pulls away from the kiss, “take this off. please.”

“no,” you move off of her lap. “what— did i do something?” abby’s brows crease up. a bubble of silence passes between you two as you stifle a laugh. “no, love,” you lean over her form on the couch to caress her soft cheek, “how about you strip.. let me make you feel good?” abby’s curious look with those doe eyes drove you crazy.

her cheeks visibly heat up. she raises up to start eagerly pulling off her layers. when she’s left in nothing but her bralette and briefs, you softly push her back down to the couch. “lay down,” you start to pull your shirt off. abby hesitantly leans back on the couch, impatiently eyeing you.

you’re now left in only your panties when you move to straddle abby. you trail a finger from her ear, to her jaw, all the way down to her toned tummy. it flexes at the cold digit lightly grazing her. “you’re so gorgeous, you know that right?” she quickly nods, watching you attentively, anticipating your next move. “of course you do,” you slide down and position yourself between her legs. she bites her lip, a telltale sign shes getting needy.

you smooth a finger over her clothed cunt, groaning at the heat radiating from it. you pull the waistband of her briefs to watch the fabric bunch up around her pussy lips and the wetness that seeps through. you quietly moan at the lewd sight and the soft whimpers abby was letting loose. you start to peck at her needy cunt, making sure to leave little kitten licks to stimulate her further. she buries her hand in your hair and starts to squirm.

“angel, please,” she whispers, throwing her head back. “‘please’ what?” you smirk, tracing her bud with your thumb through her underwear. “f-fuck— stop teasing and just…” she trails off while bucking her hips into your touch.

“just?”

“just s-stop teasing and please eat my fucking p-pussy. shit—“

you give her an amused smile and reach for her briefs’ band. she lifts her hips up a bit so you can pull them off. her pussy twitches a bit at the sudden cold air hitting it. you spread her toned thighs apart only to melt a little at the view, “shit, you’re wet.” you slide your finger between her lips, collecting the slick that’s oozing out of her pink pussy. “all because of you,” she tilts her head, boring her eyes into your now flustered face. you rub at her swollen clit a bit, eliciting a strained moan from her. you slide a finger into her tight hole, slowly starting to pump in and out. your cunt throbs at the sound it makes, not to mention the sounds she’s making. you eagerly add another finger, picking up the pace. you inch yourself closer to her weeping cunt to latch onto it. you circle her swollen bud with your warm tongue, coaxing loud moans from her due to the stimulation. you work your way to her puffy lips and between, eager to taste her pending release. hearing her beautiful moans and grunts makes you wet yourself. “y-you eat me so— fuck. so fucking g-good!” you remove your fingers to replace it with your tongue, pumping the muscle in and out. abby tangles her hands into your hair again, tugging at it, while slightly arching her back up into your mouth.

you move your own hand down to your needy cunt. you felt like a loser being on the edge of cumming just from eating pussy, but you couldn’t help it. you hastily rub at your pussy as you move back to abby’s puffed clit. you start sucking on the bud while shaking your head intermittently. “holy s-shit, i’m gonna cum,” abby shrieks while trying to refrain herself from enclosing your head with her thighs. she doesn’t know you wouldn’t mind. you start whimpering loudly, adding vibrations to her clit. you slide two fingers into your hole while simultaneously sliding two into abby’s. her back arches off of the couch, “i-i’m cumming— fuck!” she yanks at your hair while smushing your head with her thick thighs. you moan loudly, giving her a few more kitten licks so she could ride out her orgasm. she pushes your head away and that’s when you cum on your own fingers, dropping your head onto her stomach, whimpering as your thighs convulse.

a few minutes of silence pass by. the only noise that reverberates around the living room is you two catching your breath. the smell of sex clings to the air as sweat dribbles down your temple.

abby heaves before speaking, “did you just fuck yourself while giving me head?” she reaches down and smooths your hair. you look up at her with a droopy smile. she lets out a snort at your confirmation, “nasty.” you slap her stomach softly. “do you feel better?”

“yeah, thanks princess.”

reclinepilled

please do not plagiarize any of my works or post them on other websites without given permission !

#reclinepilled writes <3 #tlou #abby anderson #ellie williams smut #ellie tlou #ellie williams #ellie x reader #abby tlou #ellie the last of us #abby the last of us #abby anderson smut #abby anderson x you #abby anderson x reader #gf abby #the last of us

[dinogoofymutated]

So I'm warming up to the idea of Cable now with this new animation style. And now I can't help but imagine a mutant reader seeing him shirtless for the first time 👉🏽👈🏽. Maybe she's helping him treat a wound he cant reach on his back and he's too worn out to rely on his telekinesis for it. Sure she knows that he has a metal arm. Techno-organic viruses were nasty business. But she never imagined she'd get to see the stark contrast of metal and flesh up close. Just a tender moment where she gets to see him at his most vulnerable. Preferably sfw. Sorry if this is too long winded or specific. Really love your writing and enjoy what you share with us regardless if u choose this one or not 🫶🏽

SFW!Cable/GN!Reader OOOOGHHHH when I tell you I have been thinking about this since you sent me the ask!! I've been dying to write this but forced myself to follow a schedule :( I've never really been a Cable girly but this scenario has been in my head non-stop! I just hope this fic does the same to others!!! Speaking of which, I hope this isn't too OOC for him! This also might get a pt 2 with some smooching 😘

Read pt. 2 Here :)

-Ps- Heads up, finals week is coming up for me and I have a lot of essays and work to do. my writing is sadly going to slow down a bit. I don't think I'm going to close requests for now but it's not out of the realm of possibility! TWs: Can't really think of any. Gross depictions of techno-organic shit. As always, Reader written while picturing fem! but no pronouns mentioned. The reader is short in this one, sorry to all my Amazonian friends.

    Prime sentinels were like wasps. Squashing one could be relatively easy with the right tools, but it was difficult to handle multiples at once. It had been a rough day, and your ears were still ringing from the sounds of blaster fire when you got to the safe house. Your hands are shaking from the adrenaline, body exhausted from overusing your mutant powers. Bruises are forming all over you, and despite the pain and soreness, you know you got off easy compared to Cable. 

    He’s got an arm slung around your shoulder, using you as a crutch as you help him limp over to the table- although you’re sure you’re not a very good one, too short for him to properly lean on. His gun clanks on the floor as he sits, grunting as the movement sends shooting pains through his body. You can tell his left arm is aching, the techno-organic virus fighting to beat the telekinetic powers keeping them still. You weren’t the only one who overdid it today, but you also weren’t the one who had to keep a virus from eating you alive.

    Once Cable is settled, the routine starts. You cautiously make a round through the safe house, making sure blinds are drawn and entryways secured. Usually, the task was split between the two of you, being faster and safer than it would be alone- but he would take it over when you were badly hurt. It was only natural that you would do the same. You feel the sting of anxiety and worry in your heart. Cable had saved your ass today. He had done so many times, but normally the fighting wasn’t this extreme. You had been stupid, and he was suffering the consequences. 

    A series of pained grunts lead you back into the kitchen once you’ve finished, and you can tell Cable is pissed just by the tone of them. You’re facing his back when you walk in, noticing the large red stain that spans across the width of his shoulders. You try to hide the worry on your face as you approach him. He has the medkit sprawled out on the counter, sorting through the various items in it.

    “Can’t believe this thing doesn’t have a damn mirror.” He grunts. You hum in response, looking him over before examining the items on the table.

    “What do you need a mirror for?” You ask, voice coming out a little hoarse. You clear your throat, must be from the smoke earlier. Cable sends you a look, tossing his head towards his back. You mouth an “oh” before looking at him, unable to hide your worried expression. You’d seen him stitch his wounds up with his telekinesis before, when the fight was all guns and no powers. An action like that was child’s play for someone of his capabilities. For him to actively avoid it, and the way his arm seemed to be bothering him more than normal… It made you worried. It made you feel guilty. 

    You look down at the suture kit, open on the table from where Cable had unzipped it, and then look back at him, wordlessly asking. He gives you a cautious look for a moment, before it shifts into something much softer. He doesn’t bother nodding, choosing to simply take his shirt off instead.

    You blush a little but quickly get to work, grabbing a pair of gloves and pulling them on. They’re too big for you, meant to fit Cable’s sturdy hands instead of your own smaller ones. You try not to get distracted by the sight of him shirtless as you pick up what you need and get behind him. The air has shifted between the two of you, forming into something a little more intimate. Something that builds itself on words unspoken, truths that neither of you is quite ready to communicate yet.

    His back is broad and beautiful, dotted with scars and bruises. The gash on his shoulders is from a stray blast, starting at the top of his left shoulder and ending at the lower shoulder blade of his right. 

    You’re not sure if you had been ready to see the cut-off between flesh and metal.

    The cords of metal attach to the skin of his shoulder in a way that makes your skin crawl. They sprout from underneath the skin, winding against each other in a way that makes no clear sense to you. The top layers of skin are rough, keloid scarring having formed at the impasse of skin and metal. It's horrific, the way the virus has both eaten and forced its way under the skin. The top of the gash is somewhat deep, the deep inner cording revealed by the wound cutting through the top of his skin has you unable to look away despite the horror that has taken you.

   “I can feel you staring, you know.” Cable’s rumbling voice causes you to snap back to reality.

    “Right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to…” You trail off, not fully able to place the words. He sighs, and you mistake it for annoyance. You quickly get back on track and begin to disinfect the wound. Cable hardly flinches as you do so. You’re overly cautious as you stitch him up, focusing on each stitch being perfectly placed. You know they wouldn’t stay for long. Cable had a habit of tearing his stitches. You hope that maybe you’d be able to keep that from happening this time.

   You place both hands on his shoulder blades when you are done. The nerves have worn off as the pseudo-doctor in you took over. You’re trying to examine the stitches, but find that your attention keeps being drawn back to that stark contrast of his shoulder. If Cable notices, he doesn’t say anything. You glance at the back of his head, trying to gauge what he’s feeling. 

    Your left hand drifts a little. Cable shudders as your thumb gently traces that line of scarring, the metal of his arm feeling extra cold compared to the heat of his skin. You’re waiting for him to say something. To tell you to back off. To grumble and shake you off and avoid speaking to you like he used to when you first started to work together- when he was so determined not to get attached. 

   But he doesn’t say anything. Not at first, anyway. The tenseness of his shoulders slowly gives as the gently touching morphed into more purposeful touches, working the stiff muscles- what was left of the organic ones, anyway. 

    It’s intimate. It’s quiet. It’s… nice. Part of you wishes it would last a little longer. Part of you wishes he would let you touch him like this more often. 

    Cable stiffens again as the thought crosses your mind, recoiling away from you. He stands suddenly, turning around to face you. His towering stature used to make you nervous out of fear. Now you’re nervous for a completely different reason. Part of you had forgotten about the glimpses he takes into your mind. A flicker of anxiety ignites when you realize how much he might have seen. The two of you just look at each other for a moment, his brown eyes hard compared to the softness from earlier. You hadn’t meant to think so much. You didn’t think he was horrific. It was the virus. What it was doing to him. The energy and effort it takes out of him. That was what scared you.

    Cable was used to the stares. The horror. Most recoiled at the sight of his flesh. It only made sense to him when you did too.

    But Nathan… Nathan wasn’t ready for the depth of your thoughts. The care in your eyes. He wasn’t ready for the depth of his own feelings. The ones that cause such a storm within him. The ones that cause him to be stupid. The ones that make him focus more on saving you than the goal of every mission.

    “Is this… Are we okay?” You ask. He didn’t need to be a telepath to sense the fear that has swelled within you. Most of your emotions were always written on your face. It made things easier for him when he didn’t have to search for your thoughts. That hardness in his eyes softens yet again, and he glances away for a moment. 

    “... Yeah.” Is all he says. His heart feels light when you finally smile at him, even though an underlying nervousness still resides behind that smile. You let out a relieved sigh, and he can’t bear to look at you any longer. Instead, he sits back down. He faces away from you, giving you the space to finish taking care of the wound on his back. 

    You don’t realize how late it is until you’re finished, and the mess on the counter has been cleaned and contained back in the medkit. The two of you sit together as you eat. The food isn’t great- consisting of an MRE that’s not exactly as advanced as the futuristic weapons and technology would lead you to believe. He doesn’t say anything when you lean on his shoulder, or when your breathing evens out, having fallen asleep on his side.

  The aches and pains don’t really bother Nathan as he carries you to bed, but the thoughts of you, your feelings, your thoughts… Those keep him awake longer than any wound would.

#x men 97 #x men #x men comics #x men 97 x reader #x men headcannons #cable headcannons #cable x reader #cable xmen #nathan summers x reader #nathan summers #nathan summers headcannons #Cable imagines

[starlight-bread-blog]

My Interpetation of The Southern Raiders: Part 1 – A\ang

Warning: The views expressed in this analysis will be very critical of Aang. If you aren't critical of him in this episode, you aren't going to enjoy this post. This is your chance to leave. I probably won't have a debate for personal reasons.

——————

The Southern Raiders is probably one of the most discussed episodes in the fandom. Everyone knows Zuko Alone is great, but the discussion surrounding this episode is a war zone. In this essay I will try to answer every question posed in the discourse. This is part 1 out of three. In this part, I will discuss A\ang. I believe that understanding both Zuko and Aang's decisions in this episode will give us great insight into Katara's. Because the this episode is hers.

——————

1. Is Aang's philosophy of forgiveness valid?

(1) "Revenge is like a two-headed rat viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself".

(2) "You do have a choice: forgiveness". // "It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive". // "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing".

This philosophy is indeed morally sound. Revenge comes from rage, a negative emotion that causes harm in the long run. Forgiveness is letting go of that rage, which is healing. I cannot write a full thesis, this essay is not about that. But on paper, I do agree with A\ang. He's right to say that letting go of rage is a better alternative than getting consumed by it. (However, his philosophy might not help some).

——————

2. Was A\ang being insensitive when talking to Katara?

First I must reiterate, a lot of people frame the conflict of the episode as one regarding the ethics of murder. In my interpretation, it is not. During this episode Katara was in a deeply emotional place. Her rage stemmed from intense grief and those around her should treat her as a mourner - with great sensitivity.

Now, was Aang being this sensitive with Katara? Well, in my opinion, very much so.

Imagine a scenario where A\ang just happens to meet Haru, and he's about to go on a quest to find revenge on who imprisoned his father. He tries to help him with the following sentences:

(1) Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?

(2) Wait! Stop! I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?

(3) I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge.

(4) Haru, you sound like Jet.

(5) The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself.

(6) Haru, you do have a choice: forgiveness.

(7) No, it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive.

(8) You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing.

Everything makes sense, right? The pieces fit.He just talks about his cultura\personal values, nothing about what Katara needs at the moment. He could have had this exact conversation with Haru without changing a thing.

Therefore his lines are impersonal and thus preachy. In this conversation he doesn’t show signs of trying to convince Katara not to end her mother’s killer because she is, fundamentally, a good person and couldn’t live having committed murder. He shows signs of trying to make her obey his cultural ethos. This is highly insensitive. Katara was in a very emotional place, filled with rage and grief. And his response was, intentionally or not, to impose his own cultural principles onto her.

But his lines weren’t insensitive just because they were preachy, some of them were judgmental and even harsh. When A\ang is first confronted with Katara’s intentions, he says:

A\ang: Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?

You can tell from his tone and how the rest of the conversation plays out that he does know what Katara thinks this will accomplish. He asks the question as a form of disapproval - that he thinks that going after Yon Rha won’t accomplish anything. He’s not being genuine, he’s casting judgment on her. He’s almost looking down on her and Zuko, looking down from a moral high ground and sarcastically interrogating the two. Another line that sticks out is

A\ang: Katara, you sound like Jet.

He says she sounds like the man who wanted to flood an entire village full of innocent civilians. He’s insulting her, and greatly so, all the while wanting to keep a moral high ground. This is incredibly rude and condescending.

In the next scene, right after the intense argument concludes, it appears as though A\ang comes around to the journey Katara was about to go through.

A\ang: I wasn't planning to. This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man.But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him.

While he’s still discouraging Katara, it’s not outright condescending. But it’s as clear as day that he’d just preferred if she didn’t go on the journey at all. When he sees Zuko and Katara taking Appa to find Yon Rha, he says:

A\ang: So you were just gonna take Appa anyway?

Clearly disapproving of Katara. He doesn’t want her to go on the journey to find inner peace, he wants her to forgive the man who killed her mother right here and right now. He couldn’t change her mind on the subject, so he’ll advise her the next best thing. It is worth noting that in the beginning, before he advises her, he cracks a joke.

A\ang: It's okay, because I forgive you. [Pauses.] That give you any ideas?

Overall, A\ang’s behavior is unsympathetic and callous.Instead of placing his focus on Katara’s wellbeing, he preaches about Air Nomad teachings and goes as far as insulting her. Even when he comes around, it’s not because he realized his mistakes, it’s because he knew he couldn’t change her mind. And then he makes a humorous remark while giving him his supposed new found advice. The answer is: Yes. Aang was very insensitive when talking to Katara.

——————

3. Did A\ang know what Katara needed?

I don’t think he did. A\ang thought Katara needed to forgive Yon Rha, and as we previously established, without going after him. But even if we look at his second advice, she still doesn’t follow it.

A\ang: This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man. [Katara situates herself on Appa's head.] But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him.

Katara explicitly didn’t forgive Yon Rha, and yet the whole point of the ending is that she’s in a better place now. No matter what Zuko says, A\ang didn’t know what Katara needed. And considering that his lines in the episode were as impersonal as they were, it isn’t a surprise.

——————

In conclusion, A\ang’s behavior in The Southern Raiders is questionable at best. He might have had pure intentions, and had a good message, but the way he put out the message was degrading and preachy. And in the end, he didn’t know what was the right thing for Katara.

#2. taking over and becoming its own meta lol #also “katara spared yon rha bcs of ang” will be discussed in part 3 #anti aang #anti kataang #zutara #<- tagging for reach #atla critical #zuko x katara #katara x zuko #anti anti zutara #pro zutara #zutara analysis #zutara evidence #zutara forever #zutara meta #zutara should have been canon #zutara nation #zutara supremacy #zutara was robbed #zutarian

[not-goldy]

Hey Goldy! How are you? This is just super random, but someone shared a clip of Rosebowl Jikook, and can I just say how surreal it still feels that it actually happened? People were scrambling to explain that it was completely platonic, that it was an edit, that JK didn't suck JM's ear, that it was completely normal 🙄

I've heard about a certain clip where you could see a string of saliva, and yes, I saw it. Apparently, the big screen during the concert show you front and center when that happened and how you could literally see the string of saliva from JK's mouth to JM's ear. You could even see the sucking movement.

Imagine if Jikook have partners? Imagine seeing that and being okay w/ it?? And mind you, he did after towards the end of the concert, when they're sweaty and all.

People left and right, 24/7 camping on Jikook accounts writing long-ass essays and novels to say Jikook hate each other or whatever. You don't see us camping out on say tkk/yoonmin accounts to prove they're not real, don't you? I mean, sure, we correct misinformation when you're posting lies or manipulated clips for your non-existent ships (tkk/yoonmin/etc).

Even the companion system in the military still haunts these people until now. Suddenly, everyone is a fucking expert on Korean military?? If it was any other ship, I'm pretty sure we won't be hearing a thesis on why they're not together right now, how they're doing their things away from each other? Like, what happened to critical thinking and common sense? You'd think if Jimin and Jungkook didn't want to do their enlistment together, they wouldn't go through those damn hoops, including selecting the harshest division. They'd just do what everyone else did 😩

Do you think these uncultured and unloved people (haters/antis/toxic solos/tkkrs etc) would lose their mind even more once the Jikook travel show drops? Hope it drops this June 😭

If Jikook have partners they are the most non territorial non concerned non bothered group of people on the planet cos of if Jimin or Jungkook were mine I would have them quit their careers 😩

Like you can't be stressing me out with the constant dating rumors talking bout we just friends but you coming home every night with a hickey embarrassing me on the internet begging for a man's attention a man who looks like this by the way

Like where do I even begin to compete his ass is fatter than mine😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩

You just friends but you out here having panick attacks when he puts you on voice mail

Boy didn't even eat the dinner I made him cos he's out there cooking for another man

He doesn't laugh at my jokes the way he does his and his jokes are not even funny 😤

In his spare time he's watching vlives of him with his fans and I swear I heard him call me Jimin one time when we were making love

I need a divorce. This is not working out

It's either me or him 😩

Mother fucker chose him 😩

I don't want to over sell the travel blog I'm very very curious about it but I know it won't disappoint.

And the way Jungkook had to come out here and tell us about the one moment makes it feel all the more sus to me

Feels like a preemptive strive so fans don't make a big deal out of them sharing a bed but baby boy WE WILL

It's jikook they send antis with into a frenzy with the barest minimum 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭

I won't expect anything less from those numbnuts

[theclearblue]

Help the thoughts of Kenjaku's twisted sense of motherhood displayed towards Yuuji is bouncing around in my brain like a dvd logo

#it is. almost 4 in the morning #but i could write an essay on this RIGHT NOW #the subversion of the tropes seen in shonen where it usually focuses on father and son #and the mother is just tragicslly dead or weirdly absent #and you expect yujis dad to be importsnt from the first chapter #but hes just some guy (as far as we know). a dude #AND ONE OF THE MAIN VILLAINS IS HIS MOTHER??? #and the twisted sort of love that they have yuji #the foreshadowing where kenjaku is wat hing over yuji in like his second appearance in the manga?? #and THE WOLF PANEL IN SHIBUYA #and the “thank you for looking after my son” panel??? consumes me #ok im done for right now #jjk

[sprout-fics]

Girl help I'm creating a Eros and Psyche legend re-write with Psyche Reader and God of Fury Ghost who refuses to come to his new bride unless he's masked and darkness has fallen. Loves her tenderly and yet vanishes at dawn to never be seen in daylight. Tells her she can only stay if she vows to never see his face.

But Reader makes the mistake of looking at him while he sleeps beside her in the candlelight, and Ghost awakes and flees.

#ghost x reader #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley x you #simon ghost x reader #*points at self in the mirror* #Do NOT turn this into a oneshot you have enough on your plate #to write #Okay but the way I could include the rest of the cast in this... #I'm supposed to be writing an essay right now do NOT look at me

[ato-dato]

Breaking! Local senior citizen is embarrassed about past hair choices!!!

#you don’t wanna know how long these took me together #it’s embarrassing #anyway I don’t know if you noticed but cyberpunk 2077 has taken over my brain #to my dismay #it’s not even that good!!!! #I could write a ten page essay about everything wrong about it #and yet #here we are #a hyper fixation is gonna do what it has to do #and right now it makes me swoon over a 90 year old rockerboy #whaddyagonnado #anyway #Kerry is not proud of his bandana days and neither am I #cyberpunk 2077 #fanart #cyberpunk 2077 fanart #kerry eurodyne #v cyberpunk #male v cyberpunk #fan comic #art #artwork #my art #digital art #comic #drawing #I keep making simple comics too detailed I don’t know why #I tell myself I’m gonna take it easy this time and then there i am analysing Kerry’s tattoos when I really didn’t have to #I’d rather make shit stylizied but my brain goes no no no #this isn’t me bragging about making an effort btw I’m genuinely annoyed at myself

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Imagine if Jin Zixuan DID yeet his brother from another mother (🥲) down the stairs.

Meng Yao: I'm your brother. Happy birthday! 🥰

Jin Zixuan: There can only be one. YEET

I am truly sad he didn't; think of the 'No Doubles' memes that we could have had...

#ask #Convoluted edit...my apologies...but do you see my vision? #Original text is: 'jesus was kin with god and was executed because the roman emperor said no doubles.' #I sort of recall CQL/The Untamed having JZX kicking Meng Yao but I could be imagining it #My memory is bad. As I keep reminding everyone. Do not ask me to recall things. I have brain damage. And an attention disorder. #I'm a big fan of the theory of Jin Zixuan and Meng Yao being born same day AND year. Adds to the drama. Tragic not-really-twins #Also sitting here right now and realizing that their arcs go in the reverse direction of each other. #Parallels in the way your mirror image is the opposite reflection of you. #Every empty space one leaves is filled by the other. Every gain one makes the other diverts in the opposite direction. #Oh no I think its time to write another essay.

[dreamsofkissesandice]

I need to show that the main reason I ship them is that they both extremely fucked up and so so funny.

#fionna x simon #simon x fionna #petribell #simonna #i could probably write a poorly written essay about them and why I like them but for right now . the funnies and cute

[redstreetsahead]

I'm loving your damirae takes!! Mind if I ask what's your favorite moment of them and why? 😘

I’m basic but it’s gotta be when they first admit their feelings in JLDAW.

Damian, who had lost most everyone that he cared about or that cared about him, learned that Raven had feelings for him too. For him, it showed him love and humanity after two years of feeling like he had none. And Raven, who had spent these past two years feeling weak, both in her own mind and power wise, gets told by Damian Wayne how incredibly strong she is. It’s love during tragedy and a brief moment of happiness during the otherwise despondent film. Most of my other favorite moments of theirs have sort of an undercurrent of sadness, and while this one sort of mourns the two years they lost, it’s ultimately hopeful, or at least provides them with an emotional reprieve from all the darkness. And also that hand touch??? 10/10

#Damirae #raven x damian #demonbirds #raven roth #damian wayne #i just really like them in JLDAW #I also love the pre flashpoint kiss a whole bunch #I could write a whole essay on how much I love that kiss #But this moment takes the cake (as of right now) just because it feels like it could’ve even taken place in a happier movie #It’s just two kids telling each other how much they love and respect each other

[imjustavenuxwithaboomerang]

okay so i've begun writing a lukadrien thing because i felt like it, sue me, and i just want to know the vibes

like is anyone actually gonna read it??

we'll see

#i've never posted a written work before #i write a lot but i write a bit too essay-like #it's the perfectionist anxiety-driven student in me thank you #im not really loving it but i feel like others could like it and that's my driving force right now #lukadrien #luka coffaine #adrien agreste #miraculous #mlb #miraculous ladybug #miraculous lb #luka x adrien #adrien x luka

[anaalnathrakhs]

i feel it's so fucking stupid and ungrateful but it still hurts a little when someone gifts me something i just don't like. i don't know. i know it's dumb and inaccurate to astrain that much meaning to a simple gift, but it feels kinda like they don't know me. i guess it feels like people don't see me, like a reminder that the person i reflect and the person i feel like are incredibly different.

#two fairly recent examples jump to mind #last year my class did a secret santa #the guy who got my name barely knew me so instead he asked our litterature teacher for tips #i was doing an effort to participate a lot in her classes and discuss stuff and i felt like she was an adult i could really trust #and adult who Gets It #and she picked just. the wrong gift. a classical philosophy essay. #stuff i hate reading. stuff i hate thinking about. #i said thank you to both of them and tried to read it during christmas break still. but i was right. i hated it. #and this year's christmas #recently i tried patching things up with my parents and we are a lot more communicative now #so they've opened up that my demand not to receive any gifts was painful to them #so we had an agreement: we write open-hearted letters to each other on christmas. #and they can gift me something if they'd like but no pressure if they don't find anything they feel would be a good gift #bc i myself opened up about the whole ''inaccurate gift'' thing being one of the reasons i dislike receiving stuff #and guess what. christmas comes. they got me a printed card from an artist whose work we saw at a local art thing earlier that year. #that artist does mainly either plants or nice architecture. stuff i love. #they picked the ONE work of hers that doesn't look like that. some reinterpretation of the great wave of kanagawa #a piece which i dislike with a passion for aesthetic reasons #i had promised i'd be honest if their gift missed the mark but tbh i couldn't. it's just an aesthetic thing it's completely begnin. #it's not like they spent lots or tried to pick something that was USEFUL #so i smiled and the picture is hanging with other stuff in my room #and i thanked them and i can't express how genuinely glad i am we have a better relationship #but man i felt my heart break a little under the tree in that moment #idk #i know it's silly but it makes me feel weird. and cold. #broadcasting my misery #vent

[andthebeanstalk]

One of the things I love about Glass Onion is the way that the camera and music work together to tell nonverbal jokes.

Like when Benoit basically has to hold Miles' hand to get him to the conclusion that someone reset the puzzle box Benoit lies about receiving:

Benoit asks if it's possible that someone reset the box, and Miles then declares that someone must have reset the box like it is this huge reveal - and the camera zooms out while the music subtly swells as though he really has figured out something smart, when actually he literally restated what Benoit just said.

#original #I love the reveal that he's not even a smart con artist he's just a piece of shit #he's just a shameless copycat that people keep enabling to do bad things bc they assume he knows what he's talking about bc he's rich #like that line in Fiddler on the Roof - 'it won't matter if I'm wrong or if I'm right cuz you're rich they think you really know!' #glass onion #knives out glass onion #benoit blanc #Daniel Craig #ed norton #I hope the YouTuber sideways does a video about this because he does incredible music theory videos about movie scores #and I bet there are a bunch of hidden meanings within the music that I have no idea how to pick out #that man is like a wizard to me I don't understand how someone can understand music that much! #So cool! #I started this movie like 2 hours ago and I'm barely half an hour in cuz I keep stopping to write film theory essays on Tumblr #oh Adderall you cad! #I have no regrets I feel like this is helping me understand film better. i care a lot about the language of Storytelling #and I must say my favorite medium is film. I am writing a graphic novel right now but if I knew I could just skip that part and make it #into a show. I would do that. I don't wanna draw that much! I like drawing! but I want to see it as a show!! #this is too many drawings!!!!! #but for various reasons the film industry is not really a great place for me - or even possible as a physically disabled person #hard to work yourself up to the director's chair when all the entry positions involve standing for 14 hours at a time #I hope that if I ever do manage to make my graphic novel into a TV show that I will maintain enough control over the project to ensure #accessible hiring practices and workplaces #but in the meantime I guess I have to make waaaay too many drawings #no I can't shorten the story I don't have that kind of control it is an epic saga and the world's longest Slow Burn and that is that

[mishkakagehishka]

I may have spent all my life until this moment wasting both mine and God's time, but from tomorrow on, for sure, i swear it, i will change my ways and be better. And it'll be different from all the other times i said the same thing🧎‍♀️

#i'm getting up at 6 i'll be at college by 8 i'll catch a nice place away from the sun in the library and i'll do so much work #until my classes start and then after the classes end i'm going back to the library i'm gonna set up camp there bc this is obviously not th #way for me. but you know what bothers me now? the fact that the college cafeteria isn't open on the weekends. #you know how productive of a weekend i could have if i could camp in the library 8-12 then eat a quick lunch and go back 13-whenever? #anyway. i changed my surroundings got mood lighting and warm blankets and shukufuku no library on loop #idk what to write for the introduction so i'm gonna write my arguments first and then expand on them #if i can't get myself to do things the right way then i'll do it however is easiest for me and figure out how to make it seem like i did it #the right way. but from tomorrow on i SWEAR #and if i finish my essay sooner than expected (inşallah) ??? #i'm writing. the bigbang until i reach the minimum and not a word more until i'm done with finals #and THEN i'm writing what i want to write. because i'm full of ideas to the point that i feel like bleeding over sheets of paper

[sugarlow23]

One thing about me is that I will always defend Edmund Pevensie's terrible decisions in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

#I could write an entire essay about that horrible little child #but no one wants to hear a non-christian talk about christianity in an academic way lol #I'm kind of obsessed with CS Lewis' beliefs about sin and forgiveness right now while rereading the books #what a fascinating guy #narnia #edmund pevensie