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#people should be able to tell any story they want without the fear of being silenced by advertisers.
sciderman · 5 months
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How do you feel about the increase in really weird NSFW ads on here (advertising panels that look like sexual encounters, and AI art apps that pride themselves on porn) but will take down NSFW posts from their users, even if it isn't technically sexual.
i hate all social media and it's consistent prioritising the advertisers over the users and the internet simply was a better place before capitalism sunk its hooks into it
#i could write essays about how capitalism ruined the internet.#i was actually talking to someone earlier today about how youtube was kind of effectively ruined by monetisation.#and they were raised in the soviet union and we had a bit of a talk about how art was better because it wasn't for profit.#the people who made art made it because they wanted to do it and because they loved it.#she said that communism was terrible for every aspect of life for her. people's lives under communism wasn't pretty.#but the art was better. and i feel like it's true for the internet – it was better when it was a free-for-all.#the companies didn't know how to exploit it yet and turn it into a neverending profit-driven hellscape.#people created content because they wanted to. because they wanted to make something silly to make people laugh.#not for profit. not for gain. not for numbers. not to further their career.#i miss the days of newgrounds and youtube before monetisation.#capitalism has soiled everything that's joyful and good in this world.#people should be able to share whatever they want.#people should be able to tell any story they want without the fear of being silenced by advertisers.#that's what made the internet so beautiful before. anyone could do anything and we all had equal footing.#but now we're victims of the algorithm. and it makes me sick.#i'm quitting my job in social media. i'm quitting it. it makes me too depressed. i have an existential crisis every freaking day.#every day i wake up and say "ah. this is the fucking hell we live in#i'm so sorry i feel so passionate about this.#social media is a black hole and it is actively destroying humanity. forget ai. social media is what's doing it.#i miss how beautiful the internet used to be. it should've been a tool for good. but it's corrupt and evil now.#sci speaks
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It's me. I'm the cis, heterosexual, aromantic man. I will never marry, I will never be married, I will grow into middle age and elder age and I will die unmarried. I will be forced to support a household of myself on only my wages alone for the rest of my life. I will be asked about women and marriage and children by my family for the rest of my life (or men, the progressive ones might say). I may not ever come out to them. I feel like I burned my coming out on something stupid. I don't want to explain it. I don't want to run them through the definitions and intricacies. I don't want the acceptance without understanding, placating me with ceased questions and poor explanations to other, drunk adults.
I like my hair to be long, I spent a year with it dyed a golden blonde with dark roots because I like the trashy party girl aesthetic. I want to dye it again with pink tips. I like painting my nails, black and blue are my favorite colors. I like wearing chokers. I also like wearing baggy jeans and ratty hoodies. I like having stubble. I like having chest hair. I like having a square jaw and broad shoulders. I wish I had a flatter stomach and a thinner profile frame. I don't know what this makes me, perhaps this is something no more GNC than Machine Gun Kelly. I think about this a lot, how queer my appearance truly is. I should think about it less. I have thought long and hard about if I could be trans or if I could be non-binary or if I could be genderqueer and the conclusion I ultimately came to is that I most enjoy being a man open to whatever self-expression I want.
I don't date, but I've thought about it. I would like to meet people, and I would like to have sex with them. But I don't want to hurt them. I fear if I explain what I am beforehand it'll scare them away. I fear if I explain after they'll feel manipulated or abused. I don't know how many people in the dating scene want what I want. I fear my own lack of experience will make me a bad lay, an embarrassing story to tell to confidants in hindsight. I fear my own virginity, a boundary to those I wish to be like. All of these fears are baseless, as I've not been able to even begin a single relationship in my life. Despite this I still heavily identify with terms like "slut" and "manwhore" and "thot" because my interests lay so deeply within casual sex, sex without great intimacy or emotion. This may be some form of stolen valor. I hope the true sluts are not too mad at me.
I made this blog several years ago because a mutual of mine reblogged memes making fun of aro and ace people, making fun of the concept of aphobia, and in addition well known aphobes. I didn't feel comfortable talking about aro stuff on my main blog, for as little as I talk about it. Living through the ace discourse of the 2016 era has largely caused me to cringe in embarrassment any time I am forced to discuss my orientation with people who aren't aro or ace themselves. I no longer follow this person. I unfollowed many people I was mutuals with from that time, most of them because they posted too often about how much they hated men and I didn't want to see that, some because our interests simply drifted too far apart, only one for explicit aphobia reasons. (Also one because they became a "both sides are bad, any vote is wasted" libertarian, but that's unrelated.)
I guess at this point I don't care deeply about what strangers on the internet think of me. If a trusted friend told me that they don't think I'm truly queer that may hurt. But I am going to continue to use the word for myself. I take up no resources. I go to events that are open to me. If an event was not open to me, I think I'd not want to go anyways. I am not a hypothetical, I am not a strawman, I am a person with lived experiences both within and exterior to the queer community. If you hate me, I will permit you to continue to do so. But ultimately, I am who I am, I cannot change these facts, and I would not choose to do so even if I could.
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yanfeisty · 1 year
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— Voicelines about Creator!Reader (Liyue) ♡ !
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⊹ [ characters ] — Beidou, Chongyun, Ganyu, Hu Tao, Keqing, Ningguang, Qiqi, Shenhe, Xiangling, Xiao, Xingqiu, Xinyan, Yanfei, Yaoyao, Yelan, Yun Jin & Zhongli. ◞
⊹ [ synopsis ] — let's see what they think about you. ◞
⊹ [ cw ] — religious theme. ◞
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⠀‣ Beidou
About The Creator: Relaxation
"We had to bring them to Inazuma for a few times, apparently they really wanted to travel with The Crux. Take important person like this isn't really what we do but you know my eye for people, Y/n seemed to be more than what we heard, they were a good travel buddy, playing with the crew and telling interesting stories from another world. Sad, the guards with them don't let them drink 'A drunk God in Inazuma? What would they think?'... But who cares what they think, they should let them have a bit of fun!"
About The Creator: Consort
"You can say traveling has brought us closer, haha! I'm really happy to have find someone like them. I'll never forget the celebration we had on the ship, the weather was kind to us this day, and the food was far better than what we're used to eat, and how could I forgot the drinks, I never saw Y/n that... wild, it's quite the experience, but it's good to see them without having to worry about anything."
⠀‣ Chongyun
About The Creator
"Like me they have an energy that keeps away evil spirits from them, I suppose spirits are too scared to approach in fear of vanishing into fin air. So, I wonder why people still ask me thinking they need an exorcism, last time, we called me because apparently the Creator had an unusual behavior, rambling unknown words beyond any language experts' knowledge, turned out they just had too many drinks with the leader of The Crux..."
⠀‣ Ganyu
About The Creator: Relating
"The Qixing had to work a few times with them, and I noticed they always seem a bit anxious so I always try to help them when I can, maybe it's also because I relate to them a bit, they are our Creator but they act more like a mortal, they are trapped between two worlds, leading to confusion not only for them but also others, which would always lead to critiques..."
About The Creator: Consort
"I have still a lot to finish about this, people from all regions will come so we need to strengthen the Millelith to keep everything in order, the music group that was supposed to perform left us so I have to look through the applications again, I need to verify the special invitations just in case there's an error in the date or location. Also, I'll have to go soon for the Sumeru's flowers that should arrive this afternoon. An union between who, you ask? O-Oh... me and Y/n of course! Sorry if I wasn't clear. There's no need to worry about me, I just want everything to be perfect, I don't think I will be able to not blame myself if something bad happened, I know Y/n told me they'll be happy no matter what as long as I'm with them, but that just makes me want to work more for a perfect ceremony."
⠀‣ Hu Tao
About The Creator
"Even the most superior being needs a long rest sometimes, if it's meant to happen again, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would be more than honored to prepare a noble ceremony for their departure. Better be quick, and offer them our buy one get one free special!"
⠀‣ Keqing
About The Creator
"Due to their return, people expect them to rule over Teyvat, which includes Liyue. People also pray to them for the minor inconvenients... *sigh* We can't rely on Gods for everything, we're perfectly capable to survive as our own, and Y/n don't seem convinced to govern alone, even before their death it was never said that the Creator was the one who ruled Teyvat, they simply enjoyed interacting with their creations."
⠀‣ Ningguang
About The Creator: Tour
"It is a great pleasure to welcome a such honorable guest into Liyue, especially when they were the one who helped us to save our nation. As the Tianquan I was more than glad to have the chance to make them visit the city, it was cute to see them insisting to pay even with no mora on them."
About The Creator: Consort
"I've heard people telling that I accepted their proposal to make my items more valuable and attract more persons to come and make deals in Liyue. In short, our marriage is just a business partnership and not an act of pure love. You... don't believe that, do you? Y/n is worth more than any amount of mora for me, and not because they're the Creator. I know I don't need to prove myself to anyone but I'm concerned if one day Y/n will listen to those rumors."
⠀‣ Qiqi
About The Creator
"I don't remember who this is... Sorry."
About Y/n
"Y/n is the one who gave me a finch, I named it just like them because they're both nice with me, so when I forgot one of them I just need to look at the other to remember... Uhh, who were we talking about?"
⠀‣ Shenhe
About The Creator: Disciple
"My family was from a clan of exorcists so they were followers of them, the clan sent prayers and asked for blessings when performing an exorcism. When my mother died, not only did my father abandon me but them too. Maybe that's why I became one of the Acolytes."
About The Creator: Consort
"My master insisted to meet Y/n, not only because they're the Creator but my partner, she wanted to meet the one who 'tamed my heart'. When they did meet, let's say both of their personalities didn't really match well together which gave... an interesting show, but at the end they agreed to share and listen to stories of my childhood..."
⠀‣ Xiangling
About The Creator
"They told me about dishes from their other world, just hearing about them makes my stomach growl, I'd love cook those dishes if they ever feel homesick, not only can food be delicious but bring warm feelings, and not just because it's hot! But I also love making them try food from here and they always seem to like and excited when I bring them a nice cooked meal!"
⠀‣ Xiao
About The Creator: Unusual
"They're a God, the oldest one, and yet their body and mind are just as weird and vulnerable as a human."
About The Creator: Consort
"Hm... Yes, about that. Could you help me with something? They always seem to care about me a lot, trying to heal me and making me food, even though I need none of this, but I heard it's expected to show gratitude to the person who cares about you. Since they act more like a human, I don't know what should I offer them. Flowers? Hm... Maybe something that gives me more work, picking up flowers isn't enough to thank them for everything they have done for me. Flowers crowns? I mean... I guess I can try to make one. You think that would make them smile if I had one too? Fine... Show me how to do it."
⠀‣ Xingqiu
About The Creator
"Ah, they're quite the difficult topic to avoid. My presence was required when my family invited them for a warm welcome to Liyue, I cannot say more as it was a private meeting, but I didn't imagine them with such a casual and clumsy personality, if you would have seen the faces of my father and brother, hehe... Just to say another meeting won't come anytime soon."
⠀‣ Xinyan
About The Creator
"Who'd think that someone like them would like my performance? Even better, they encourage it! I mean, that's understandable, staying with the most uptight persons and doing boring work all day... Can't even imagine the nightmare, they certainly got the rock 'n' roll's spirit!"
⠀‣ Yanfei
About The Creator
"Ah... Yes, I'm aware that because of their position we allow them more than we should, but it's not like anyone mind or they do anything bad, the worse that happened was them and Xinyan being a bit too loud. I've heard of a fireworks show in all of Inazuma and a wanted gang getting out of prison, but it's outside of my territory to talk furthermore."
⠀‣ Yaoyao
About The Creator
"They're always so heavily guarded, so you can always be sure they are in good health with no injuries, but I do worry about how they feel with being followed by people who watch your every move all day. So, whenever I see them, I ask how are they and I always have a ration of their favorite food with me. If you encounter them, tell hi from me and to take care!"
⠀‣ Yelan
About The Creator: Easy target
"If you knew the number of cases related to them, from little scammers to hitmen, there sure is a great variety. Since the Creator has a more powerful influence than strength, criminals think they are the perfect target for great sum of mora, but they sometimes underestimate a bit too much those close to the Creator and I'm not talking about the Millelith."
About The Creator: Consort
"Shh, not so loud. Surprised, aren't we? That means we're doing a good job at keeping it as a secret. I don't want to be known and blow up my cover, plus with the danger it can attract to them, so we can't announce it publicly but it's not that bad, seeing others thinking they have a chance with them is a funny show, unless Y/n feels uncomfortable, to this I'll attend to it personally when nobody is watching."
⠀‣ Yun Jin
About The Creator
" 'Through a simple whisper, thousands winds started to blow. Hands drew a river, rising waves emerged from the flow. Love was poured into the earth, and life began to grow~' Aren't these beautiful lyrics? There's a few operas about the Creator as we didn't know them much. We invited them but they appeared a bit embarrassed, which I can understand, so I try to sing tales that aren't about them and might fit their taste. I'm used to hear praises but their enthusiasm about my singing never fails to delight me."
⠀‣ Zhongli
About The Creator: Hopeful future
"I was surprised to hear about their reincarnation, especially about memories from another world. I had the occasions to talk to them, even if they may seem lost sometimes and lack experiences, the love they share for this world is real and the people around them returns this feeling, with a modern and ambitious mind like them, I'm sure the future of Teyvat will be bright."
About The Creator: Consort
"You want to know more about our contract? Well, our feelings for each other were mutual and we had the same promise which was to keep the other safe and happy, naturally we came to do the ultimate promise to stay together until death separates us, but I fear even this won't be able to break our contract, one that I shall forever cherish and respect. They're quite busy but I stay patient for them to come and see me when they finish with tea that I prepared for relaxing them after a stressful day."
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© ་ ׅ : pls don't translate or copy this | don't reblog with yand3r3/cult tags or if you’re a yand3r3 blog/reblog account.
@ ་ ׅ : @haileyo0ostuff
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tc-doherty · 3 months
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TC's Practical Writing Tips
Like I said before, I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that I can teach anyone how to write – that's a level of hubris even I'm not capable of –but in honor of my rapidly approaching ~quarter century of writing original fiction anniversary~, I did figure I would share the tips that I live by when it comes to the act of writing.
So without further ado:
Write it now, fix it later
2. It is always permissible – and usually enjoyable – to write the stupidest possible version
3. "Inspiration" is great for poets, but poison for people who write prose
3.1: if you want to write often, you need to write often, and then you will find that you don't need to be "inspired" because you will have made a habit of it and it will come naturally 3.2: even one sentence a day is still one sentence a day. And even one sentence a week is still one sentence a week. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop 3.3: believing in the concept that you need to be inspired to write will trap you into believing in the concept of writer's block 3.4: if you are having difficulty getting out words that satisfy you, lower your standards and keep writing (see point one)
4. A few months down the line you will not remember which words came easily and which words did not
5. It is always permissible to set a project aside for now, or forever, if you need a break
6. Read widely and often, both in your favorite genres and outside of them
6.1: pay special attention to both things that you love and things that you hate - study them, engage with them, learn what makes yourself tick and your writing can only get stronger
7. Never write for the lowest common denominator, via wise words I once heard: "if you open the window and make love to the world, your story will get pneumonia", have an audience in mind and the people who like what you write will find it
8. Never write for the bad faith critic, those people will always exist and you will need to deal with them at some point if you put your writing in the world, but they don't matter and you cannot live in fear of them
9. It's fine and normal to want engagement and praise, however you must find a way to make the act of writing joyful in and of itself – make the praise the cherry on top, not the entire sunday
9.1: writing is hard work, and it's a lot of work, if you lose the ability to enjoy the journey and are proceeding only for external rewards from others, you will gradually write less and less if the ratio of work to rewards is unsatisfying
10. For anything other than final copy editing, always write a new draft into a new document, or else the words you have already written will trap you from being able to make large, sweeping changes
10.1: any change you make will invariably snowball, and you must give space for that snowball to roll
11. If someone tells you that something doesn't work for them, believe them, because people know what they like. But if people try to tell you what to do to fix it, take that with an entire serving of salt because you are the author, not them
12. It is always morally correct to look at a critique that you received, even if you asked for opinions via beta reading, and decide that it's bullshit and doesn't apply to you
13. "write what you know" means "write what you're interested in"
14. "Show don't tell" applies to screenwriting, not novels. This is the thing that drives me the most insane every time I see it. Novels are words on a page, not images on a screen. They require a lot of telling. Not all telling, but a lot of telling. Become comfortable with that.
15. It is always, ALWAYS acceptable to use "said", do not listen to the lies of others
16. Have fun, do it out of love and you will never go astray
17. Become comfortable with who you are. Your work is always going to be yours and it is always going to sound like you wrote it, and this is a good thing! No one else is ever going to write exactly like you, and you should be proud of that
17.1: the concept of "originality" is vastly overrated, every culture has some version of Cinderella and we still love it. Your writing is yours because you wrote it, and it will always be unique because of that
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sorchathered · 3 months
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Sacred New Beginnings (part 1)
This is a story over the weekend of Mav and Penny’s wedding, you and Bradley had been engaged and it had all gone to shit, with you back in town for the impending nuptials will you find your way back to each other? Or will you realize you were meant to be with someone else all along?
Pairing(s)- Bradley Bradshaw x reader, Jake Seresin x reader
Warnings- drinking, language, mentions of cheating, eventual smut. 18+
Song inspo- I bet you think about me- ts, the story of us- ts, Cornelia street- ts (yes I’m very taylor coded with this series lmao)
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You’d begged Jake to keep it to himself, at least until you could get your bearings in North Island and talk to Bradley yourself. It had been 6 months since the two of you split, he’d put his mother’s ring on your finger and promised you a lifetime but it certainly didn’t turn out like either of you planned, crashing and burning before you ever got a chance to say I do. Now you were back in San Diego at the request of Maverick and Penny for their long awaited nuptials and no matter where you looked all you saw was Bradley Bradshaw.
Jake Seresin was your former front seater, the two of you flew a handful of missions together when you’d been stationed here before, you trusted each other in a way most people didn’t, going through countless near death situations will do that to someone. As you stepped out of the airport into the cool night air you could see him leaning against his ridiculous fully kitted Ford F-150, you could take the man out of Texas but he’d be a cowboy no matter where he went.
“There she is! Stormy girl you are a sight for sore eyes!” He scoops you up in a big bear hug and you finally feel yourself relax, tension melting away just being able to be with your best friend like this.
“Hey douchebag, missed you so much” you say punching his shoulder and letting him lead you into the truck, peeling out of the lot and onto the dark highway.
There’s just something about him that calms you down, everyone gets the big bad Hangman persona and while you’ve witnessed it more times than you can count he’s never once treated you that way. Being around him now feels like home and you need that more than ever knowing the heartache that’s bound to seep into what should be a fairytale weekend. You wring your hands nervously, you know you need to ask but you don’t want to pop the happy bubble you both are in. Time to rip off the bandaid.
“So please tell me you kept your damn mouth shut Jakey, last thing I want to do this weekend is cause a scene. Just want to watch Mav and Penny say I do and head back to Florida with no casualties.”
He frowns at you from across the console, mussing your hair with his hand, he loves having you back here, nothing has felt quite the same without you in his daily life. He knew you’d want to know about he who must not be named (yes Jake considers Bradley to be the Voldemort in your story, no he won’t apologize for it) but he had hoped you’d give yourself some time to adapt first.
“I promise darling, haven’t said a word, hand to God. We will make this weekend a blast and send you on back without a hitch, so long as ol’ Rooster keeps his nose clean we shouldn’t have an issue.”
Just hearing his name causes your heart to lurch, you’ve done so good about avoiding him; blocking his socials and refusing to stalk any of the daggers insta’s for pictures of your former lover.
“How is he?” You say quietly, inspecting your hands in your lap now, refusing to look up for fear that Jake will see your tells; he always does though.
He looks at you with furrowed brows, he wasn’t ready to break your heart again, so he rattled off a bare bones list of info you were looking for, not willing to succumb to the rumors floating around that would only rile you up. The last thing you needed was to spend the weekend drowning in what went wrong and what could have been.
“Recently got promoted to lieutenant commander, got a dog a few weeks ago, no I don’t know if he’s dating anyone and no I wouldn’t tell you if I did. We aren’t doing this to ourselves you hear me? You didn’t do anything wrong and self preservation isn’t a bad thing. Now you must be starving so let’s go get you some In and Out to celebrate my favorite girl being back home.”
Across town in a little craftsman style house by the beach, Bradley Bradshaw is pacing his halls. Mav asked him to be best man and he’s determined to make this speech perfect, but every time he tries to sit down and write out the words describing true love and destiny all he can think of is you. The two of you had been so happy, but then he *had* to go and fuck everything up. He knew you were the one from the minute he met you; all sharp tongue and attitude, truly the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. It wasn’t easy to get you to come around, you’d made it a rule not to date in your squad but somehow he had broken down your walls, when a particularly dangerous mission left him with substantial injuries you’d been paralyzed with fear. If he was just a friend like you claimed then why did it feel like your heart would explode if you never saw him again? The two of you danced around each others feelings for weeks after until one night of partying at Phoenix and Coyote’s you’d kissed him.
A year later he was standing on the beach with roses and Carole Bradshaw’s wedding ring asking you to be his forever, you’d said yes before he could even finish talking; fully confident in the choice you were making. Standing in his house now, no wife and no family he couldn’t help the tears that spilled down his face, regret flooding his senses at how he’d let it all fall apart.
He let his hubris get the best of him, he was the best at what he did, always making sure he went the extra mile to prove himself; constantly fighting living in Goose and Maverick’s shadow. So when a mission came up and you and Jake had been chosen, he’d felt deflated; why hadn’t he been picked? What made Jake the better pilot? What made you more qualified? He went to higher ups to plead his case, never once thinking about the aftermath and how his choices in this would affect you. Needless to say it ended badly, you and Jake being grounded and Bradley flying the mission, someone had let it slip at the bar one night that he’d intervened, costing you an important promotion opportunity and choosing his career over you.
You’d felt betrayed, how could you trust him to be your life partner if he couldn’t even support you in your career? You’d requested an immediate transfer, packed your things and left the ring in your shared home, a note briefly explaining your reasoning and that you’d never wanted it to end this way. He had ruined everything, tried to convince Jake to give him your new number but Hangman could be ruthless when he wanted to be. Refused to help in any way and made sure Bradley knew that he’d been the getaway car, he would always choose you and your happiness unlike Bradley who’d chosen career over love.
Bradley hated him, but he knew he couldn’t fault him for his decision. If he’d just given that level of care when it counted he’d probably still have you, instead of an empty house and a head full of what ifs. He’d been a terrible fiancé, sure he’d doted on you and always told everyone you were his everything, but he also loved attention. So he’d let girls at the bar flirt sometimes, make excuses that it was just his personality and that he didn’t mean anything by it because of course you were the only one for him. But he’d dulled your shine to lift himself up far too many times and he knew deep down he didn’t deserve a second chance. Giving up on his speech for the night he poured another scotch and made his way to bed, there was no mental preparation on earth that would make any of this easier.
Friday morning came bright and early, you stumbled your way through Jake’s apartment letting the smell of coffee carry you to the kitchen. He’d left a post it on the carafe, telling you to be ready by 6 for drinks at the hard deck and you laughed, some things truly did stay the same. Six pm rolled around all too soon and you were dressed in your favorite sundress, hair and makeup set to perfection and Jake pulled the two of you into the lot of the beloved navy bar. Pulling you from your thoughts he gave your hand a reassuring squeeze.
“If you start feeling uncomfortable you just say the word and we’re out, no muss no fuss. Just relax and enjoy tonight with our friends.”
You smiled up at him, grateful that he always seemed to know what you needed to hear.
“Come on Tex let’s get in there and celebrate our friends.”
The bar was closed to only friends and family tonight, everyone near and dear to the happy couple congregating for their rehearsal dinner. Stepping inside it was like being transported back to the past; sounds, smells, everything was the same as it had been when you left. Jake goes in ahead of you, keeping an eye out for a certain mustached aviator but as you both made it to the bar the general consensus was that he hadn’t made it yet. You greeted Penny and Mav with hugs and congratulations, both so glad that you could make it. Mav caught your eye as you ordered a drink from Jimmy, and you knew what he had to say before he even started.
“He-“
“I’m sure he does Pete. I wish it changed anything, but it doesn’t. This is your day, you don’t need to waste it worrying about the past, I’m ok I promise.”
He just wanted his godson to be happy, you knew that. But it wasn’t that easy, too much time had passed and you were uneasy enough thinking about having to see him tonight. So with a squeeze to his arm and a smile you made your way across the bar to the pool tables and your former squad.
Rowdy and full of mischief, that’s the best way you could describe them, whooping and cat calling you as you crossed the threshold, enveloping you in hugs and remarks at how you’d been missed. Phoenix sidles up to you now, bumps her hip against yours with a Cheshire Cat grin, the two of you had never lost contact during the past 6 months and you were grateful for another person looking out for you tonight.
“I’ve missed you cutie! It’s just not the same around here, still can’t believe you left me to take care of the kids by myself.” You both laugh at that, looking towards your boys now as they play fight and place bets at who can kick the others ass at pool, knowing without a doubt that Jake will take the winnings.
“It feels good to be home Nix, I didn’t realize just how much I missed everyone until I got here. Florida is nice, I love the group I have there but the daggers are my family.” You trail off, trying to suppress the tears threatening to leak from your eyes.
She pulls you in for another hug, kisses the side of your head. “It’s going to be a good weekend buddy, I can feel it.”
Bradley’s late. He knows he should have left earlier but he’d been dragging his feet. Mav had texted to tell him you were here and he had to pull over on the highway to empty his stomach. His nerves are shot, pulling the bronco into the lot with shaking hands he attempts to pull himself together, knowing you are just inside has him feeling faint.
“Get your shit together Bradshaw, don’t lose your cool.”
He sucks in a deep breath and opens the door.
After grabbing a beer and getting two pitiful sympathetic looks from Penny and Mav, he turns towards his group and lays his eyes on you. It’s like a punch to the gut, you have always been breathtaking but after having only the memories on his phone to look at he knows for sure they pale in comparison to the real thing. His feet begin moving of their own accord, brain hasn’t quite caught up to what he’s doing and it feels like a magnet is dragging him towards the one place he has longed to be. You are arm and arm with Coyote, animatedly telling him a story with sparkling eyes and Bradley is falling in love all over again. He skirts the outside of the group, settles in to a seat next to Bob and Fanboy hoping he can keep from startling you. But you feel his presence because of course you do, and he can tell the moment your energy shifts. You keep looking at him in the corner of your eye, arms wrapped tightly around yourself and it breaks his heart. His view is obscured by Hangman all too soon, leaning in to the table to catch his eye.
“Rooster”
“Hangman”
“We aren’t gonna have any issues tonight are we?” Jake asks with his signature smirk and lazy southern drawl, it’s charming to some but to Bradley it’s like nails on a chalkboard.
“I’m not here to make things uncomfortable bagman, just here to fulfill my duty to Mav as best man. Y/N is a big girl and doesn’t need a babysitter, if she wants to talk to me I’m happy to listen to anything she says, I’d be an idiot not to”
“You’re an idiot either way Bradshaw but if you make Stormy girl cry tonight you’ll be showing up to the ceremony tomorrow with a black eye, just keep that in mind.”
“Understood.”
Jake blinks back the shock, didn’t expect Bradley to be amenable towards him at all. They have avoided each other at all costs in social gatherings ever since the split, Jake knew nothing good would come from stirring it back up and Bradley looked like a kicked puppy most of the time. Shrugging it off, Jake nods to the group at the table and heads back to where you are, encouraging hand on your shoulder. He’d be damned if someone ruined your night, so instead of letting you wallow he scooped you up to pick a song on the jukebox and took you to the dance floor. Spinning you and reveling in your giggles and bright eyes, it almost made him forget that he wasn’t supposed to look at you the way he was now. He’s been so good about keeping it together all these years, making sure to have a date to keep him occupied when you were cuddled up to Rooster and firmly planting himself in the friend zone. He knew that’s what you needed and he’d always go above and beyond to make you happy. Even if it meant he couldn’t have you.
You have no idea how long you’ve been here, speeches have been given and far too many shots have been had; the room is too hot and slightly spinning so you make your way outside for some fresh air. He’s there of course, smoking a cigarette and watching the waves. Looking him over now you can see the little changes, he’s not as bulky anymore, face and torso are definitely thinner than they used to be. He looks tired, to the bone judging by the dark circles under his eyes and the way he seems to slouch in on himself, no longer the larger than life persona he used to project. You think for a moment you should go back in, but as he flicks the used up cigarette into the wind you are both face to face, pain clearly etched in his features as he takes you in.
“Hi.” It’s all you can make out, you think of how ludicrous it is that after 6 months of heartbreak the best you can scrounge up is a measly hi.
“Hi Storm, it’s good to see you.”
“Y-yeah it’s good to see you too, it’s been a while.”
He runs his hand over his scarred chin, looking you over and it almost looks like he might reach out for you but he thinks better of it.
“I’m sorry Bradley- I can’t do this, I know what you’re gonna say and I feel it too but it doesn’t change anything. We’re the same people we were 6 months ago, and love isn’t going to fix it.”
You were trembling, tears pouring down your face and Bradley couldn’t stand it. He’d broken your heart and let you go, but he’d never once stopped thinking of you. Just two steps forward and you could be back in his arms, and he thought of Mav’s saying “don’t think, just do.” So he closed the distance and pulled you into his arms, your beautiful face cradled in his hands as he wiped away your tears.
“Baby, my sweet sweet girl I know I fucked it up, and I’ve spent every day of the last 6 months thinking of what went wrong. I don’t deserve it; I know that but please even if it’s just for tonight let me love you.”
You didn’t know if it was the alcohol spurring you on or the fact that you’d missed his touch so much it physically hurt, but pulling his lips to yours felt like the easiest decision you’d ever made.
You heard the door swing open behind you and someone cleared their throat, causing you to jump backwards out of his grasp, moment over as quickly as it had begun. You spun around to find Jake, eyes full of anger directed right at Bradley and then he looked towards you; disappointment clearly etched in his features.
“I couldn’t find you, Payback said you’d gone outside so I came to make sure you’re alright.”
You feel your cheeks redden with embarrassment, you had promised yourself you wouldn’t be alone with Bradley and yet here you are less than 24 hours later letting him kiss you.
Jake is still staring you down, you shift a little feeling extremely small between the two people you love most.
“Everything’s ok Jake, let’s uh- let’s go home ok? It’s late and I’ve had more than I should have.” You grab at his elbow to steer him towards the lot to the truck, steely gaze still focused on Bradley but he lets you move him, starting a fight isn’t going to fix a thing and he knows more than he’s let on. Maybe it was time to play his hand and let you know just how much of a piece of shit your so called “Prince Charming” really was.
The ride back was eerily quiet, tension flooding the cab of the truck while you spent every second overthinking. Why had you let it get that far? You’d done so good, it’d been half a year without any contact and you’d folded *so* fast, it was so embarrassing. Ugh and for Jake to be the one that found you?! You knew he’d be pissed and expected a thorough lashing but he didn’t say a word. Just stoically stared at the road, no smart ass remark to be found as he white knuckled the steering wheel. He pulled into the drive and bolted for the door, didn’t even stop to let you out like he normally does. Taking a deep breath and mentally preparing for a long ass night trying to drag his feelings out, you made your way into his townhouse.
He’s nowhere to be found when you step inside, probably holed up in his room so he won’t pick a fight; you know the routine fairly well. He hates hurting your feelings so he shuts down and lets himself cool off before he talks to you, normally just acts like nothing ever happened because he’d rather not bring it all back up again. But when you go to check his bedroom he’s not there either; door ajar and completely devoid of Jake. Finally you head to the back porch, he’s there slumped in one of the lounge chairs, already cracked open another beer and staring down at his phone, determined to look anywhere but at you.
You plop down into the chair next to him, knocking one of your knees with his, hoping if you needle him enough he’ll tell you what’s wrong.
“Jakey”
“Don’t. Don’t do this right now Y/N, just let me be before I say something we will both regret.”
You know you should just let it go, but the harshness in his tone is so out of character but frankly you’ve had enough of everyone tiptoeing around you.
“No.”
“No?”
“No I want to do this now, what is it that you aren’t telling me? You seem to have forgotten that I know you better than your own mother Seresin and I can tell when you’ve been holding back. You looked like you wanted to beat Bradley into the ground earlier and I know I screwed up and let him get to me tonight but im a big girl Jake I can make my own mis-“
“You didn’t make any mistakes though!” He boomed, causing you to jump in your seat. “ you’ve spent this whole time blaming yourself for leaving, for not communicating but you have NO idea. This was never something to blame yourself for and the fact that you let him back in tonight knowing what I know makes me SICK.” He’s never had an outburst like this with you, chest heaving and shaking hands he can’t seem to stop, he knows it’s all about to bubble up but he can’t stuff the secrets back down.
“What do you mean, what you know? Jake what am I missing?” You whisper softly, you have a sudden glaring realization and it feels like everything is crashing down, it can’t be can it? You need him to say it to confirm but you wish the earth would swallow you both up; everything changes if he says what you think he will.
“He cheated on you, a month before the mission, and he thought he’d gotten away with it but apparently Fanboy caught him and Mirage fucking in the hard deck bathroom. He agreed not to say anything, but when you left she suddenly started showing up more, he wasn’t even trying to hide her y/n! Everyone knew he was taking her home after nights at the bar, and Fanboy couldn’t keep it in anymore so he told me. Bradshaw was jealous of your success, he took the mission away from you and to really stick it to you he fucked a fellow squad mate behind your back. As far as I’m concerned he’s dead to you, he has no right to come crawling back and you deserve to know it all so he doesn’t take advantage of you again.”
It all made perfect sense now, Bradley had had one too many late nights at work claiming he was shooting the shit with Mav, never interested in taking you to bed like he had been before the mission talk started up, but you’d chalked it up to stress. Always making excuses for him, assuring yourself that he wouldn’t dare cheat because why would he have given you his mother’s ring? He’d told you he wanted a love like Goose and Carole had, promised he’d love you forever. Of course he’d lied, he’d always been more concerned about his career path and his accomplishments, any time you did something of merit his congratulations always seemed tinged with something sour, but he was happy for you right? He loved you right? Now you didn’t know for sure.
You reeled back at the realization, all the puzzle pieces fitting together to make a heartbreaking story, and you felt a surge of nausea come up quickly rushing to the side of the yard to throw up. You could feel Jake’s cool hand holding your hair back, the other rubbing circles into your back telling you to breathe. He’d always been a safe haven in your life, steadfast no matter who he was seeing at the time. You came first to him, your friendship and partnership in the air like an unspoken vow between the two of you. You were being hit with one revelation after another tonight, and you jerked away from him suddenly; throat dry as the desert as you quickly made your way inside to the sink to rinse out your mouth.
“Hey hey, talk to me honey. I’m sorry, shit I’m so sorry you had to find out like this; I should have never let it get this far but you seemed happy in Florida and I didn’t want to open old wounds. Please Stormy, look at me baby I need to know we are ok.”
Now he’s the one wringing his hands, Hangman is never nervous, he’s always larger than life and the most confident person in the room. He looks so boyish now, standing in the dim light of the kitchen, the fear on his face so unnatural on his handsome face.
You couldn’t deny that he was beautiful, you’d always seen the way he attracted the attention of everyone in a room, like the definition of the word gorgeous come to life or the hero on the cover of a romance novel. Just classically handsome, and yes he was smug and he knew just how good he looked but he’d never put on any kind of mask when it came to you. Let himself be vulnerable, trusted you would keep his secrets and never make fun of him for his faults. Now looking at him in the quiet of his home, you realized that Bradley may have physically cheated; but maybe he wasn’t the only one that blew up your relationship. Some part of you from the day Jake Seresin had walked into your life had always belonged to him. Admitting it to yourself now was jarring; how long had you let yourself think he wasn’t everything to you? You found yourself terrified and excited at the thought, suddenly hyper aware of how close he was to you, knowing that if you crossed that line with him tonight you’d never be the same. You tilted your head up to look at him, reaching a hand out so he could close the distance, and watched him relax into your touch knowing you weren’t angry with him.
“Stormy-l-“
“Jake…Do you love me?”
He goes cold at the realization, oh God you had figured it out. He’d tried to suppress it for so long, but obviously with the clarity that had been gained tonight you seemed to be able to see the truth. He’d always been in love with you, but decided that having you in his life was more important than getting his feelings out so he’d gallantly put them aside. When he’d found out the truth about Rooster he’d been unmoored by the whole thing. How the hell could anyone ever hurt you like that? What kind of moron has the perfect girl and destroys her happiness? But he’d let you go, knowing you needed to run and find yourself in the aftermath; Jake was just grateful he could continue to be a part of your life in whatever way you needed. But oh God you knew now, he could see it on your face and since it had been a night for truth and honesty he told the consequences to fuck themselves, pulling you into his arms and pressing his forehead to yours.
“I could deny it, and we could just go back to the way things are if that’s what you need. We can continue this weekend like we have been and I’ll let you go back to Florida. Because you matter too much to me to be selfish with you, but oh angel I want *so* badly to be selfish. So you tell me what you need and I’ll do it.”
He’s so open, pouring his heart out to you and you can’t look away, his bright green eyes searching for any kind of reservation on your part, and when he doesn’t see any he grins that perfect lopsided grin of his, the one that makes your heart grow ten sizes. It’s not a rushed or sudden clashing of teeth and tongue, it’s a slow movement of lips molding together, hands mapping each other in a way that’s never been allowed before. It takes your breath away and as you gasp he slides his tongue against yours, reveling in the little noises you make as you grasp at the collar of his shirt, the need to have him closer overwhelming. After a while with the willpower of a god he pulls himself back from you a little, stroking your cheek and chuckling as you stagger forward trying to chase his kisses. He tilts your face to look at him and he’s warm all over, it’s everything he’s ever wanted and he has to tell you before he lets it get too far.
“I do Y/N, I love you. I always have baby. I want it all with you kid, and I know it probably feels sudden, but I can’t lie to you; I want everything with you. I’ll wait as long as you need because I’m in this no matter what, I don’t think I could stop if I tried.” He says with a watery laugh, and you realize he’s got tears in his eyes.
You are pretty sure you turned into a puddle on the floor, arms and legs feel like jello as he holds you up between himself and the counter. You could agree that yes it was sudden, hell you’d just let Bradley kiss you less than two hours ago, but you couldn’t deny that in all the times you’d kissed Rooster it had never felt like this. How were you ever supposed to go back to the way things were? Did you even want to? The thoughts were swirling around in your head now and he could tell you were lost. So he kissed you once more, just a featherlight peck and then stepped back from you.
“We’ve had a lot of big reveals tonight baby girl, how about we take a beat and sleep, let tomorrow figure it all out for us.”
He was right of course, it has been an overwhelming evening and you two should probably look it over with fresh eyes, so you let him lead you down the hall. He thinks you’re going to head to the guest bedroom but you surprise him, stepping into his bedroom and closing the door.
“Stormy, we can’t- not tonight honey you and i are wrung out-“
“Shhh, we aren’t doing anything tonight Jake, just hold me ok? I need to be close to you.”
He peels off his clothes and lets you change into one of his T shirts, tangling his arms and legs with yours as you snuggle up into bed. Drifting off to sleep, not knowing if he hears you, you whisper to him
“Jake I think I love you too.”
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Jake Seresin Masterlist
Tagging- @attapullman
@bobgasm
@mamachasesmayhem
@roosterforme
@pinkdaisies1106
@angelbabyyy99
@nouis-bum
@djs8891
@purelyfiction
@86laura11
@shanimallina87
@floydsglasses
@floydsmuse
@nervousnerdwitch
@mygyn
@jessicab1991
@its-the-pilot
@dempy
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viburnt · 4 months
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Divorcing Izuku Midoriya Headcanons
I'm on a creative rush, and this may make zero sense because I'm tired lmao. Anyways, have some angst <3
Tagging the babes: @doumadono @shonen-brainrot @trickster-kat @angelshimaa (babe, you've missed some very angsty posts) @xhieru @mimisxs @dabislittlemouse
Content Warning: Divorce, emotional abuse and manipulation, mention of baby-trapping, alcohol.
• As I said in my last post, divorcing Izuku is a nightmare. Think about the most energy-draining and mental health deteriorating process, and multiply it for a minimum of 6 months. Izuku won't make things easy for you at all, trying to drag and prolong the whole ordeal just to keep you close. I've divided this set of headcanons by key moments/topics to keep some order. I hope you enjoy them, I'm pouring my heart on these (also pay attention to detail because I'm working on something hehe).
Denial and confusion: the first days after you serve him papers
• Izuku genuinely doesn't understand why you want to leave, refusing to accept the fact that you're not happy being by his side. He's given you all there is to give: a comfortable house, nice clothes, expensive cars, etc. So when you serve him papers, Izuku's first reaction is confusion followed by fear. In that head of his, he's made everything a good husband has to do! So why? Why would you not be happy?
• If you were smart enough and planned your movements with care, you should be able to go through your divorce without depending financially on Izuku or having to live in the same place. You'd have to deal with his incessant calls and texts, often having to block unknown numbers to avoid hearing his whines, but it'd be less difficult. If you weren't thoughtful about the situation and proceeded without the right steps, oh, you're in for a treat: there's nowhere you can go besides the house you shared with him, no place where you can be at peace. You're at Izuku's mercy, like it or not, but that's another story.
• In addition to his denial, Izuku starts to (unconsciously) guilt trip you. Phrases like "Sorry for not being enough," and "I know I'm very pathetic" become frequent. It pains your heart to hear those things because you know Izuku loves you, you are just not compatible at all. You try to let him see it's not about being enough, it's more about effort; with much patience, you set things clear to avoid any misunderstandings, but Izuku just doesn't get it.
• "Haven't I done this or that for you? Didn't I buy you all these things? Am I not enough?" "Izuku, I didn't ask you for any of this, all I wanted was my husband..." Conversations like this occur during this phase, and they can only be held through the phone (when he is sober and not yelling/hollering how much of a mistake a divorce would be). He tries to gauge sympathy from you, telling you that his job is important but that he loves you so much!
• He becomes an empty shell of the bright ray of sunshine the public knew. It goes unnoticed by many, but the people who work around him can tell. It is then when he starts telling others about his marital situation, and you end up seeing faces you've met once or twice during galas or hero events. You "accidentally" stumble across your husband's colleagues, like Ochako, who try to convince you to give him a second chance. "I- I know we don't know each other a lot but please, consider it. Izuku is a great guy a-and I'm sure you guys could fix any problem!" It is embarrassing for you because no one wants people to know their issues.
• What's so ironic about the moment when you serve him papers is that he receives them at his office, the very root of all the problems in your marriage. It was the place where he had spent anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine's... those four walls witnessed the beginning and the end of your relationship. Izuku has a mental breakdown when he finally reads the documents but, hey, he was still pro-hero Deku, right?
Negotiations and lawyers: The first weeks and months
• If having to deal with Izuku's colleagues trying to change your mind wasn't enough, be ready for your soon-to-be ex trying to negotiate. Midoriya suggests couple's therapy to talk this through, and for a split of second, it almost sounds like a good idea! But then you remember all those times when Izuku had promised you he'd be there for you and failed. It didn't seem plausible after that... Besides, all things considered, it'd be hard to find a therapist who could see your side of the story. Who would dare to tell someone as charming and popular as Izuku that he failed as a husband?
• Once therapy is off the table, Izuku brings up children. It may be considered a low blow, especially if one of your dreams was to form a family with him, so his offer felt cruel. "W-we can have kids! Wouldn't you want that? We can be a big family, with one- No, two babies!" "Ouch, it takes a divorce for you to even think about it, huh? That's uh, slightly concerning. Besides, a kid needs a father too... I'm not planning on being a single mom in this marriage" Now, Izuku strikes me as the kind that would try to . to stay. I'm sorry if it sounds terrible, but considering how sometimes he acts on impulse, he really could try it.
• Izuku also tries to be at home more often; he "cooks" (it's takeout disguised as home meals), brings you coffee to the bed, and calls you all kinds of sappy nicknames... It saddens you, why couldn't he care like that before? Of course, this point only applies if you still live with him during this whole process. If you don't, he starts frequenting the places where he guessed could find you: cafeterias, plazas, shops...
• Finding a lawyer for you was a hard task, especially because everyone sees you as a "dumb" woman who is trying to divorce Japan's number one hero. Not to mention they were very expensive, and Izuku was certainly not giving you money for that. You tell Izuku that mediations need to happen to progress with the divorce, but he never shows up to the meetings. There's always an excuse for that man! No matter how much you plea, he refuses to sign the paper. Izuku also becomes very mean towards you, outright berating you for not understanding him. It's gruesome to see him turn into such a monster during these months.
• As an additional point for this part, Izuku hires a private investigator to follow you around. He feels bad for thinking of it, but the idea that you could be seeing someone else while you're trying to divorce him eats him alive.
Last resort: Mediatic battle
• The media is very quick to pick up your marriage's fall down. Time after time you visited your lawyer's office for them to put two and two together, and Izuku takes that to his advantage. Sensationalist articles had already been happening, a lot of them being cruel and demeaning towards you. Titles like "Is she a cheater?" "No amount of success gives you the girl!" And "Pro-hero Deku will be looking for a new wife soon" started popping up. You have to take down any social platform to avoid being targeted.
• It is when Izuku gives a public declaration that things get worse. "I'm sorry, my wife is just not happy with me anymore. Please respect her wish! Don't harass her, I failed as a husband." It may seem like a hearty and sorrowful declaration from the outside, but Izuku picked word by word to gain sympathy and pressure you into changing your mind. People in the street call you "heartless", and the stress simply keeps growing for you.
• To put it in simple words, you were David against Goliath, except Goliath was a glorified person who had all the resources and support of the people. You were nothing but a tiny mouse squeaking to be set free of a relationship that was suffocating you.
The aftermath: Supposing you haven't given up and he signed the divorce papers
• If you somehow manage to divorce him after all these problems, congratulations. You survived 5% of the drama that awaits you! Now you won't be able to date someone without people snapping photos for entertainment news or judging you for leaving "such a great man". Izuku will still try to convince you to go back to him, playing his "sad lover" role in front of the cameras so well! He'll try to send expensive gifts and tell you to keep the house, he'll call you drunk in the middle of the night, and if you're not careful enough, he may try to gaslight you into thinking nothing wrong was happening in your marriage.
• One particular thing I must mention is that Izuku only signed the papers after you yelled at him at one of the legal mediations, hot embarrassment tears falling from your tired eyes as you begged him to let you go.
• Anyways, the list could go on, but those are the main points of divorcing Izuku :')
"Please, just sign the papers..." You said through the phone, your voice tired of pleading to someone who simply refused to hear you. "I will, I will! I'm just a little under the snow with work. Can you reschedule?" Izuku said, apologizing for not being there for you. Excusing himself for failing you, but refusing to let go. "You know how many articles I've seen with my face saying how much of bitch I am for visiting my lawyer's office?"
Izuku's silence was deafening, you could only hear him sigh slightly, perhaps feeling bad for putting you in such a position. "I don't want this divorce."
"But I do, so don't make things more difficult for me, please." He heard you say, biting his lip to hold back the tears. Izuku was glad you couldn't see him, sitting alone in his office with a half-empty bottle of wine you'd gifted him for his birthday. "Do you remember what day is today?" He asked.
"I don't know, Monday? I haven't slept lately." You answered unamused. "It's our anniversary... we married 5 years ago, on this very day." His words came out as a slow slur, his breath hitching as he crumbled through the phone. "I miss you a lot, please-"
"I'll see you on Wednesday, if you're not there I swear to God..."
...
"Mr. Midoriya?" Your lawyer called, her voice bringing your anxious husband back to reality. "Ah, sorry, it's me. Is... is she in there?" He asked, pointing at her office. She just looked at him with little sympathy and nodded. "On time, as always. Maybe you should avoid keeping her waiting, that's the least you could considering how many times we've had these conversations."
"There's no way I can fix this, is there?" Izuku asked as if the lawyer cared. "Wanna do something nice for her? Divorce her."
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genderkoolaid · 1 month
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advice on how to get over the fear that t is going to make me ugly? or that i’m going to miss “the old me”
i’m a queer trans guy and i’ve been questioning going on t for years now and i know i definitely want bottom growth, body fat redistribution and more body hair.
but im err on the side of face and voice changes. i’m scared of disliking my new voice and suddenly growing dysphoric over it (i dont have too much voice dysphoria now) and disliking how my new face will look. i’m kinda genderfluid as well so it’s complicated. but i don’t want to go my whole life without knowing what it’s like to be on hrt. but i can’t get over the fear of looking/finding myself ugly and undesirable and losing my community... which is ironic cuz i find other trans men attractive as hell. i discussed this in therapy and i still feel this way :/
i wish there was a way for me to start without telling anyone and then breaking the news when i’m experiencing changes and feeling more confident about it. i have my gender dysphoria diagnosis and i can start if i want to, but i need my family’s financial support. i don’t want to make it a big deal since it’s just something i’d be trying out to feel more like myself in certain ways.
sorry this turned into a long ass rant and you don’t have to reply but i’m just gonna kindly leave it in the ask box 💀
There's a post that goes like "all of life is irreversible. i cannot go back a single second" and I think thats something good to keep in mind when you are thinking through this. You are already living with a body that has changed and will continue to change in ways largely out of your control. You are already living in a post-irreversible-alteration body.
If you do go on T and find you don't like how your voice sounds: for one, you can stop at any time (& if you haven't checked out microdosing as an option, you should). But two: plenty of people live with a deeper voice than they want. Plenty of people live with facial hair they dislike. You can pursue the same therapies and procedures they do. Or maybe you don't, and you find ways to live with a voice or face you aren't totally in love with.
So much detransition fearmongering, especially directed at transmascs & assoc. trans people, heavily relies on the specter of the fallen woman, itself steeped in trans-misogyny & intersexism. The idea that, for one, a "woman" who has mixed-sex features is ugly and undesirable, and two, that a "woman" made undesirable is forever doomed to be miserable and worthless. The transphobic story of detransition keeps our bodies stuck in this moment of revulsion and regret, narratively preventing us as characters from being able to move on and live happy lives in atypical bodies. Even if you do regret/dislike some things about T, you are not forever stuck in that feeling. The story does not stop at that! You will just keep living and find new ways of dealing with your bodily feelings!
The social aspect of this is a bit more complicated but I also have some firsthand experience with it. Because, as mentioned before, there's a lot of transphobic misogyny/misogynistic transphobia that affects transmascs & others who go on T, who have to confront the feeling of losing your potential desirability. And then there's also the way many people are treated after going on T, facing a whole new area of bodily scrutiny: you may suddenly have people making comments about how someone needs to force teenage boys to shave because their facial hair is a personal offense. I went from being self-conscious about how high my voice was to being self-conscious about how undeniably trans my voice was. And, specifically, my facial hair, voice changes, etc. were all signs of my transmasculine desire, and I became self-conscious about how obvious it was that I desired being trans, I desired this body. I could no longer let everyone pretend I was a cishet girl at family gatherings and avoid confronting these issues, because I had essentially written I WANT TO BE A TRANNY all over my physical form.
This is something I'm still struggling with myself. I, like many other queer & autistic people, already struggled with feeling desirable or worthy of being seen alongside conventionally attractive cishet people who could act normal. Being visibly trans, and taking a huge step away from the desirable cis-perisex-girl body, can really open up that can of worms. Especially being genderfluid/genderqueer! Because we often cannot find a comfortable space for ourselves within the conventions of attractiveness for cis men, like some binary trans men are able to.
But ultimately, I don't regret going on T at all. I would have had body issues regardless, and I got a lot out of going on T. I think mentally preparing yourself to struggle with these things, and seeking out other transmasc people, is a big help. Again: all of life is irreversible. we cannot go back a single second. We are already living in imperfect bodies we struggle to love or see as worthy. If you know you want some of the things T can offer, and you don't want to go your whole life without knowing, then just do it. Dive in, and don't feel any shame if you decide to get out. Just keep living and finding ways to live better right now.
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gatoraid · 5 months
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Rakugo references in One Room Angel
(Alert: this post includes spoilers)
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One Room Angel, the BL drama directed by Eda Yuka, based on the manga of the same name by Harada, features quite a lot of references to rakugo. Angel seems to enjoy performing rakugo both now and in his past life, and a famous rakugo reference ends up being the key for uncovering Angel’s past memories.
So, what is rakugo and what are the rakugo stories referenced in One Room Angel?
In short, rakugo is a form of traditional comedic storytelling, that was born during the Edo period. It’s been around for about 300 years now. In a way it could be compared to stand-up comedy, except in stand-up, every performer has their own stories/jokes, whereas in rakugo the performers (rakugoka) mostly perform existing rakugo stories, bringing their own flair to them. Rakugoka use only their voice and expressions, plus simple tools like a paper fan (or chopsticks in Angel's case) and a folded tenugui towel to evoke different characters, settings and items in the story. 
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Since rakugo was born during the Edo period and was considered entertainment for ordinary people, many classical (kotenrakugo) stories make references to everyday Edo life. There are also new rakugo stories (shinsakurakugo) being written and performed by rakugoka nowadays. 
The two rakugo stories referenced in One Room Angel, Manjuu kowai ( まんじゅうこわい, ”I’m afraid of manju”) and Jugemu (寿限無/じゅげむ) are both classical rakugo. My Japanese teacher told me that these two stories are usually taught to kids at school, so even without ever seeing a live rakugo performance, most Japanese people would be familiar with them.
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Manjuu kowai is the story that Angel is repeatedly seen performing. The story starts with an introduction talking about how different people have different tastes, likes and fears. The story itself is about a man who claims that he is afraid of manju (a bun filled with sweet bean paste), and when his friends try to play a prank on him by filling his house with manju, proceeds to eat them and then wonders if he should next tell them that he’s afraid of tea. I really don't think there's any deeper meaning for why they chose this particular story, other than that it's so well known.
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Jugemu is a story about a boy with a ridiculously long name. When he was born, his parents asked a Buddhist monk suggestions for a good name that would ensure a long life. After getting a list of names, the parents couldn’t choose just one, so they ended up naming their son Jugemu Jugemu Goko no Surikire Kaijarisuigyo no Suigyomatsu Unraimatsu Furaimatsu Ku Neru Tokoro ni Sumu Tokoro Yabura Koji no Bura Koji Paipo-paipo Paipo no Shuringan Shuringan no Gurindai Gurindai no Ponpokopi no Ponpokona no Chokyumei no Chosuke.
The comedy of the story partly comes from the rakugoka’s ability to recite the long name with amazing speed, and from how inconvenient such a long name is when you just want to have a normal conversation.
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Jugemu is referenced in the twitter username tks_jugem2, and Kouki is able to guess the password for the account based on Jugemu’s full name (ie what comes after two Jugemus). 
The irony that a boy who ended up dying so young had a username based on a boy whose million names were meant to ensure a long life is not lost on me. I’m not sure if that was actually what Harada intended in the og story at all, maybe it’s just me overthinking, but it makes this whole thing even sadder.
Fun fact: in the manga, the password was not spelled out for the reader like it was in the drama, you had to figure it out yourself if you wanted to access a website that is linked at the end of the manga that features a special bonus drawing. I think you can still find the link at the end of the english edition of One Room Angel manga on MangaPlanet’s website.
If you want to know more about rakugo, I definitely recommend checking out Descending Stories/ Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. It's a story about two rival rakugoka, and it showcases the culture and stories of rakugo with love and detail. The original manga was drawn by the famous BL mangaka Kumota Haruko, so even if it’s not strictly BL, I think BL lovers will enjoy it (I sure did). The manga has been licensed in english by Kodansha and there is also a beautiful anime adaptation and a live action drama!
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Online sources: JP and ENG wikipedia, NHK for School
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mintharan · 5 months
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I've been burdened with terrible visions. Walk with me.
It struck me how Spawn Astarion with Duke Wyll and Ascended Astarion with Duke Wyll could work as negatives of each other.
For instance, Wyll marries spawn Astarion, they are so happy everyone around them gets hit with the fallout. Wyll singlehandedly makes nightly soirees a thing. "I just think parties should happen at night, there's no point in holding any kind of grand event during the day if you really think about it." Just so Astarion can attend and be the centre of attention and speculation.
Everyone wonders about the Duke's mysterious husband who never goes out during the day. Rumours abound. "I hear Duke Ravengard is extremely jealous and doesn't let his husband out of his sight, locks him up inside the house so none may gaze upon him." "Nonsense, I hear the man is actually a pale drow and the sun hurts his eyes." "More nonsense, I hear he's an insufferable prick who thinks everyone is beneath him and only comes out at night because the sun makes other people's flaws too apparent."
You get the gist of it. Astarion delights in having all these rumours about himself, and tells Wyll to stop trying to dispel them. "Darling, the people of Baldur's Gate get bored easily, let them speculate, it's better than starting yet another cult." They adopt Lily Aurora, who Astarion raises to be a menace. Wyll thinks she's just darling even as people look in horror as she attempts to chew the furniture.
It's all very sweet, despite Astarion's occasional maudlin periods about not being able to go out into the sun.
Now, Ascended Astarion and Duke Wyll get exactly the same story, except no one's happy about it.
This works best imo if they were together before Astarion's ascension and then Wyll broke it off. In this case he'd choose to become a Duke out of an extreme sense of duty to protect the people of Baldur's Gate from the monster Astarion had become.
They would orbit each other constantly, Wyll reminding Astarion that he couldn't go too far without consequence and Astarion testing the limits of Wyll's feelings for him (the love was still there, just twisted).
Eventually the loneliness gets to them both, but mostly to Wyll, who can never get over Astarion, and in a moment of weakness gives in. It feels like a victory to Astarion at first, but like everything else about Ascension he soon realizes it's hollow.
Wyll isn't happy about compromising his morals, even if it's for love, and he despairs in not recognizing the man he fell for in Astarion. Wyll tries to end it many times, but Astarion has him wrapped around his finger, with sex, but mostly with the mimicry of the romance they enjoyed during their early courtship.
Astarion fears one day he'll leave him for good and that he'll be alone. Again. Haunting the halls of his former prison with only his memories for company.
So he brings Lily home, and at first Wyll is horrified but soon he finds comfort in the child's presence. He stays home for longer periods of time. Less 'Duke' duties take him away from Astarion. He's a fucking genius, he solved it.
Except it's obvious Wyll loves the child more than he loves Astarion. He takes to being a father like a duck to water, and while he's home more often all his time is spent with their daughter. His daughter really, he seems to think Astarion will be a bad influence on Lily if he as much as breathes near her.
So his grand plan backfired and now he's so jealous he can barely see straight. He wishes he could take back the damn girl and return her to the Ilmater priests.
But then he remembers. Cazador had made good use of a father's love for his daughter when he made Leon do everything he wanted to keep Violet safe.
Astarion starts doing the same, manipulating Wyll with veiled threats to Lily's life. Wyll knows exactly what he's doing, but he's powerless to do anything. Astarion got the child on his own, they're not married, Wyll has no rights to her.
But he could have, Astarion reminds him. Dangling the promise like a noose. If he agreed to become Astarion's consort, he could have everything.
"Have I not been made into enough of a monster?"
"Darling, at least we'd be monsters together."
It all comes to a head when Astarion threatens to turn Lily instead. "Think about it, she'd be your sweet child forever. She'll never grow up to blame you for anything."
Wyll gives in, allows Astarion to turn him and becomes his consort. They get married, it's a grand event, with the whole city in attendance.
Astarion is triumphant, Wyll is resigned. He becomes more accommodating to Astarion's whims, and Astarion wonders if that's the result of his influence over him through their bond, or Wyll finally accepting the love he can give him.
It kills him that he'll never know.
Astarion has everything he ever wanted, he just wishes he could be happy about it. Wyll still dreams about the shy kisses they traded on an empty beach with only the moon for a witness. Another life.
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thesharktanksdriver · 11 months
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Salt Water Tears
Made this awhile back. I’m not sure it’s it’s good or not but decide to post it anyways cause it’s taking space up in my notes
Poseidon might be out of character but screw it
Warning for abuse, misogyny and murder
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Love and hatred are powerful emotions that both the gods and humans alike
It is something that both experience to such a gripping degree
It can lead to both good and bad
Hate can lead to war but also change
And love can lead to something beautiful and can tear down even the mightiest of empires
It’s intriguing how both emotions despite being opposites can intertwine together like a coil
It’s especially to Aphrodite as the blond goddess spies on others love lives for fun
It’s fun to her as she sees as love can either consume and destroy someone from the inside out
Progressing slowly into that coil
Normally she watches over human stories for the gods don’t have much going except for affairs and the once beautiful feeling dying
But there is one tale of love and hate that has always stood out to her
Whether that be for its tragedy of an ending or beautiful start she personally isn’t sure
But whenever it came to the god Poseidon it was sure to be something interesting
And the tragedy of the only person he loved is certainly an example of that
You were born to a small village to a peasant family
In the grand scheme of the world you weren’t special
You didn’t have power or status but you did have one thing many people lacked
Respect for others and nature
Yeah, doesn’t sound like much but in your village where brutes ran wild without so much as a ounce of intelligence or care for anything around them it was a lot
It’s why you always lingered near the beachside where no one would visit
It was the only respite from your family who was already pressuring you to be married off
A fate you wished to evade as long as you could as to keep your freedom
Your mother was a constant reminder of what you feared
A worn down woman, one who felt no love for herself and abided by your hateful father
A man who didn’t know any love for anything but his own pride and image to the other men in the community
To be completely honest it sucked
You wished to have a different fate, to be able to explore the vast open sea like that of legends
Or travel to distant lands you’d heard whispers of
Not being confined to a home and used as an object to satisfy someone else’s desires
So there on that beach you let fantasy reign over your mind
Staring out towards the deep blue ocean with longing
Letting the salty air tussle your hair
Sea foam staining your dress
Picking up shells and feathers from the birds that you feed scraps of food to along with the colourful fish
Picking out the trash that somehow ended up in the water
Saving a few fish in the process
It’s odd but you feel as if the things that most consider just to be food to be your friends
Listening instead of telling you to shut up, that a woman should remain silent and submissive
You envy the fish
It’s yet another day of heading to the beach when you find someone there
Standing amongst the waves is a man
Blond hair that reminds you of the golden sand
Blue eyes that looks like the depths of the sea
He looks at you
You stare back
It’s kinda awkward for a bit as the crashing waves fill in for the silence between the two of you
You take a step backwards and you see him move as well
“I can leave if you’d like? I don’t want to bother”
“Your the one cleaning the beach. Why human?”
At him saying that you can’t help but feel a sense of confusion wags over you but you brush it off
Opting to instead just answer him
“It’s wrong how they treat the earth. it’s the least I can do considering I can’t change them”
He stays silent at that answer just watching you
Trying to see if your lying
But there is only truth, a guilty truth for it being the only thing you can do in this situation
He grunts and walks straight into the ocean
Beneath the sapphire waves as your left dumbfounded at what you just saw
Until realizing that he was likely a god
Specifically Poseidon
What the-
You return to the beach a few days later and find it empty as usual
Despite that you feel a presence occasionally watching you
Not threatening so to say but there
Watching with curiosity as you fish out glass bottles and old bits of torn cloth
It’s not much but you do your part
Along the way you pick up shells and string together small bracelets for yourself
All the while that feeling continues
And this becomes slightly normal until he appears again
This time though he approaches and your left cautiously letting him get closer
He stays a few feet away but it’s significant compared to the last time you met him
Let alone now knowing he’s likely a god or some other type of higher being
Now, you weren’t overly religious compared to a few others in the village that had pledged themself to worshiping the pantheon
But now having him in front of you is kinda having you question if you should go to a temple and pray
“I’m curious of you. Indulge me in this”
Your eyes widen a bit but you nod, soon finding yourself wrapped in conversation with the blond man
Talking with Poseidon is a bit of a challenge at the beginning
He is the epitome of a perfectionist, and rather cold to the point that you don’t know if something is pissing him off
Viewing himself as a perfect being despite how he had some glaring issues
Mainly being his arrogance and pride
But you suppose that’s how anyone would end up with such unimaginable power
But after many days of trial and error you find common ground with him
Mainly on topics such as the ocean and his family
It’s odd hearing myths you grew up hearing come from the perspective of someone actually there
Yet interesting nonetheless especially as you tell him the version you had heard through the grapevine
He seems to find some amusement in hearing the slightly skewered version of events from the humans perspective
Often times adding some snide remark about it that makes you laugh
The way in which you casually roll off the insults to both yourself and your entire race seems to catch his attention
He might’ve been confused, or maybe even angry to an extent but he didn’t bring it up
Especially as you asked of how the ocean worked
Its world and freedom that came with it
You can’t help but try to imagine the pictures he paints of the kingdom he rules
Colourful collections of underwater flora of sorts called coral
Or the deepest reaches of his domain where Apollo’s light can’t penetrate
At some point though it shifts from exclusively asking him things to him inquiring about you and your life
Why you kept coming here in the first place let alone felt obligated to try and keep the waters clean
Especially when in his eyes humans were all greedy and selfish
Nothing but bottom feeding scum
With all that reason it shouldn’t make sense as to why he’s so curious but you don’t comment on it and tell him the answer
From the moment you were born you were created for one purpose alone
Marriage
Before you could even open your eyes your father could see the money he could make off of selling you
Your mother couldn’t care less after being worn down over time
She could barely care for anything anyways when she was focused on pleasing him
Couldn’t even take care of you when you had gotten to the age of being able to walk and make conscious decisions
Leaving you to your lonesome in a place that would eat you up in not time
So with that you focused on survival
Ending up scavenging the forest for extra food to fill your empty stomach
Learning to see nature’s beauty in the process
Finding the beach that you’d come to see as an escape
A real home compared to that empty house full of nothing but violence and the possibility of getting screamed out
Growing up into a beautiful young woman didn’t help in all this
Getting the leering eyes from men twice your age within town
Your father’s greed growing as he realized he could capitalize off this even more
You can feel your freedom slipping away by the days now
Sand through your fingers into the inevitable fate of a loveless marriage to a pig of a man
One who would break you to his own satisfaction
Wanting to see the fire in your eyes be smothered by his own hands
With all that Poseidon asks something afterwards that makes you smile
“I insult you and your face, why aren’t you mad”
“I don’t mind when most of what you say is tinged with some sort of truth. Especially since your the only one who treats me as something other than an object”
During his visits after this he changes a bit
He sits closer to you on the sand
What used to be a few feet separating the two of you now becomes that of a foot
You don’t comment on it out of respect
Especially since the conversations between the two of you become longer
A few times you barely got back home in time to avoid a verbal battle with your father
You couldn’t come to care about that though
Especially as the conversations become more deep
Actual emotion leaking through the cracks and allowing you to see something in him that you hadn’t seen before
Even a few times giving you the honour of seeing a small smile
It makes something in you flutter at that
You bury those feelings though, it was absurd to think of him that way
A god
When your you
So you continue on without addressing it
It doesn’t help that he’s started gifting you stuff as well
Starting off as some pretty shells you craft into jewelry
To strings of pearls he says he wanted to get rid of
It sends mixed messages in your head
Especially since he continues his hating human talk
(Though he notably stops making comments about you)
And it stays that way
A limbo you found yourself pondering about until one night it all changed
The moon hung high up in the dark blue sky as you sit beside the sea god watching waves crash endlessly onto the shore
Foam coming up to gently nip at your toes, something that makes a small smile come to your face
The stars shined within the endless sea that was the sky held up by atlas
Yet another tale the tyrant of the sea had told you of during these taken
As of the moment he weaves pearls into your hair
He’s insistent to do so despite you telling him that it wasn’t necessary
But he is not one who listens often and this is a case of this
“Marry me”
“Huh?!”
Yeah so he just blurts that out
You certainly didn’t expect it, though anything from him is
“Did you not hear what I said? Marry me”
“I understand what you said I’m just confused”
“How could you be confused about what I said? It’s quite simple even for a simple human brain”
You deadpan a bit at that but quickly refute with “I’m confused cause I’m human and your asking that. You know I’m not a god”
“It’s not much of a problem”
“But I’m not-“
“I can make you one”
You go silent at that, watching as his eyes stare down into your own
Emotions bleeding out of those deep blue abyss’s
“Won’t your family be upset?”
“I don’t care”
“B-“
“I said I don’t care. If anything they’d be more confused than anything that I’ve found someone”
“I…” you pause for a moment
You love him, you know you do but your still afraid of being confined away
Loosing your freedom to a person you loved would be worse than that of a stranger
“Would I be able to travel. To see the world even if we are together”
He scoffs
“Of course you can. I’d give you the world if I could”
Whatever hesitation you had melts away
He sees this and holds his hand out
You take it
“Meet me here tomorrow. I will take you away from this place”
You nod, tears lining your eyes as a smile lights up your face
Going home you feel joy for once
Hopeful
Bbbb
When you go home that night your met with your father glaring you down
Before you can even walk through the door he’s yelling profanities
Accusing you of being a whore
That your a disappointment
As usual
Your mother is in the corner, staring yet not intervening even as he grows more angry
More violent to the point your getting legitimately scared
You may be a grown woman but you know he’s stronger
Your entire childhood is an example of that
Words are thrown between the two of you
A haze of anger blinding you as it did him
And then it happens
At first you can’t comprehend what had happened
Your mother screamed and look terrified
And then a pain entered your gut
You look down to see red staining your chiton
Staring back you see your fathers expression
He even seemed surprised by his action
Yet he holds up the blade again
Intent clear as to finish the job, it was too late to turn around now
You run
Bolting out the house and into the darkened streets
Through the old beaten path of the woods
Down into the sandy beaches you found to be a real home
But in that panicked state you found yourself in you end up tripping into the sand
Just by the waters edge as he catches up
The look in his eyes shines with intent
It’s almost immediate that Poseidon feels that something is wrong
There’s something that goes down his spine, a feeling of dread he’d never felt before
And somehow he knows it’s about you
In an instant he’s back at that beach, a place that was just for you and him
Now sullied by the sight of a man holding your form beneath the waters surface
He forgets to breath for a moment before that man is dead
Blood staining the sand as he kicks his disgusting form away
Your dead already
No breath filling your lungs except for the salt water he held domain over
There is no saving you
And that breaks something in him
Gently he takes your body into his arms, water absorbed into your clothes along with sand clinging to you
Those pearls in your hair are still there, glimmering in the moonlight as he holds you close
He destroyed the village
A large sudden wave completely decimating the inhabitants before they could even wake
He held no sympathy
How could he when they had only wronged you your entire life
Perhaps that’s why he hates humans so much
Because in the end they are selfish creatures that drain the light out of anything good
They lie
Cheat
And manipulate just to kill whatever spot of light is left in the abyss of shit they call a world There is no one left to tell the tale of that village
nor any landmarks left to signify it was ever even there
It’s name is only left on ancient maps, most of which are destroyed by time or by his own hand
It’s a petty act but one that is the only satisfaction he can get anymore
He sits alone in his throne room, the other throne long made for you is stashed away
Kept for his eyes alone that oftentimes can’t linger on it for more than a few seconds
He only allows himself to break on those lone nights when the crushing weight of it all come down on him once more
He hates that he cries, a perfect being such as himself shouldn’t do so
Yet you make him do it
A feeble human who had captured his cold heart
Only for it to be destroyed once you are taken
He never talks of your real name, only ever referring to you as “Amphitrite”
No one deserves to utter your name
Not even himself after he failed you
But Aphrodite knows
As does Hades who mourns his brother’s loss
Love and hatred coil around one another
Whatever respect he had for humanity forever died that day, leading him in a downward spiral of hatred
It’s amazing what love can do, isn’t it?
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veespee · 30 days
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MLandersen0 Community Posts
okay, here’s a sort of analysis (?) for the recent Mlandersen0 YouTube community posts, because people should talk more about them AND i need to overanalyze everything; so here ya go.
(this is part 1. there are 6 posts up rn, and this post would be WAY too long if i do all 6. so i’ve divided them to 2 parts, will post the other in a few days probably :) 
first post: Antigonish?
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Antigonish is a poem written by William Hughes Mearns, which you can read here. 
I'll just write my interpretation, and how I think it relates to mla0: the poem revolves around a man, who is portrayed as a ghost. The speaker/narrator of the poem is clearly scared of this mysterious ghost man, telling him to “go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!” and “go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door…”. Now, as for the connection to mla0, i have two theories: 1. the ‘ghost’ is Slenderman, and it’s from Michael’s point of view. Which i think makes some sense, as the ghost and Slender also appear and disappear mysteriously, and of course, Michael wants him to go away, and 2. it could be about Michael’s guilt and past getting to him. All the people that are dead because of him and his want to protect himself, are haunting him, and the ghost is metaphorical. These are just theories though, so the meaning could be anything really. 
second post: So it goes?
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This one is a song by band ‘Matthew and The Atlas’, you can listen to it here. According to an analysis from this website, the song talks about an entity of sorts, lingering around the speaker’s life since he was young. There’s a theme suggesting that the speaker fears the entity, and has never been able to confront it or get some closure on what it wants (as suggested in the chorus: “Deep below the earth I might have found you, High above the tower I could not see”). Also, according to a comment on the Genius page for this song, the song writer Matt Hegardy, explained that when he was young, he was attacked by a man with a knife, later resulting in bad dreams consisting of a figure standing over him. In my opinion, that’s exactly Michael’s relationship with Slenderman. Slender is an entity, plaguing Michael’s mind with nightmares, and basically ruining Michael’s life completely, but he never gets the chance to confront Slenderman, and get the closure he needs. So he’s stuck, being miserable and feeding people to Slenderman, without even knowing why. (also, now that i think about it, this could also be about Patrick. but i’m leaning towards Slenderman)
third post: And they call me a throwback when I cry, “Remember?”
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The title is a lyric from the song below, Old Tyme Mem’ry by Erik Petersen. Now, the song’s overall meaning is nostalgia on vintage ways of living, as the song tells the story of a family who had to sell their farm after the death of the father, and how the new owners of the land have no connection to the land, instead opting for luxury and modernity. (thanks to this site i understood that lol, go check it out for a more in-depth analysis of the song) But in general, the atmosphere of the song is one of nostalgia and reminiscing (which is honestly the theme of all of these posts), and that’s why i’m assuming it’s Michael posting these. He’s reminiscing on the past, where everyone was ‘okay’ (as okay as they can be, at least) and alive, but know he’s alone. All he can really do is reminisce, as he has nothing now, no family, no friends. Really, I think he only has Patrick, who probably isn’t very stable, and Slenderman. 
okay that’s all i could find :) thank you for reading, and for anyone who is too bored to read all that, TL;DR: most of the themes of the songs/poems Dylan/Michael have posted have a theme of haunting/nostalgia. So my theory so far is, Michael is alive and living his life in guilt, reminiscing on the past about all of his wrong doings, and all the people who are dead because of him. He’s lonely, guilt-filled and grieving the life he could’ve had, if only everything was okay.
also!! credits to all the websites i linked, the helped me undestand the meanings of all the songs in depth, so of course, lot's of credits to them.
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harrington-love · 11 months
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Steve and Nancy's story is complex and beautiful...and not everyone will understand it.
I pity the people who cannot, or refuse, to see the beauty in Steve and Nancy’s story. A story about how trauma impacts your relationships and the way in which you cope with traumatic events. A story about how in the beginning, these two teenagers were not compatible but attempted to make their relationship work, only for the shame, guilt, and blame to take over and rupture the relationship. A story about how it is crucial to acknowledge and understand your partner's pain, and be their support, their rock, their shoulder to cry on.
It is a story about a teenage boy’s fall from popularity, and finding his true self as a friend, a protector, a lover. A story about a teenage girl working to make something of herself, to establish an identity that is purely hers. A story about a teenage boy who works to rectify his past mistakes, and learns to give himself grace for being a human. A story about a girl being true to herself, trusting her gut, and believing in her capabilities without bending to everyone else's expectations of who she should be. A story about a boy who's love for a girl was so strong that it helped him change into a person she could trust and depend on. A story of a girl who sees this boy in a new light, and thinks maybe, just maybe, he can offer her a future of partnership, adventure, and love.
It is a story about how these two teenagers have worked to grow and heal (and how they will continue to grow and heal), and are in a better place now where they can be what the other needs in time. A story about a second chance at love, now that they are both in a better place to love the other. They're not perfect. They never were. Healing and growth are not linear. They will always have their faults, their flaws, and like everyone else, they'll hit rough patches along the way. The difference between Steve and Nancy then and Steve and Nancy now is how they handle the hard times, together. How they face them, together.
And the audience can see how Steve has changed, from a boy who was apprehensive of Nancy's drive to get justice for Barb, to a man who trusted her investigative instincts, offered to join her on her exploration, and told her to be careful. From a teenager who utilized avoidance as a coping mechanism, whose "go with the flow" attitude was a mask to hide his pain, to a man who confidently told Nancy that she is what he's always wanted. There was no avoidance. No shame. No fear. There was simply a boy, who has changed, telling the girl he loves that she is it for him.
And the audience can see how Nancy has changed, too, from a girl who pushed a boy away because his presence was a painful reminder of what, rather who she lost, to a woman who is slowly, slowly, learning that this boy is good, and he is safe. She welcomes him back into her life with ease. From a girl who held this boy at gunpoint because she did not want him involved, to a woman who includes him, and trusts him when he volunteers himself in the face of danger, and defends him because he is someone worth defending.
To truly understand Steve and Nancy's story, you have to be willing to see their growth. You have to be willing to acknowledge change and believe characters can and do change. You have to accept that they did change. And therein lies the problem. Many, many people are purposely choosing to ignore their growth, because it does not fit their version of what they want or think should happen. Many people do not trust or believe that these characters know what they want, or know what's best for them. You have to be able to see and accept who they are now, as opposed to who they once were. How their views have changed. Their morals. Their personalities. Their wants, needs, hopes, and dreams. If you're still holding onto who Steve and Nancy were in the earlier seasons, then you are closing yourself off to any potential understanding of who they are now. If you are intentionally misconstruing what these characters say to fit your own narrative, then you are choosing to believe you know these characters better than they know themselves. If you are perfectly content with misunderstanding their relationship and refusing to acknowledge their growth, then you will miss out on not only a delicate and beautiful relationship, but also a lesson: Second chances happen. And sometimes, people do find their way back to each other.
I don't know what season five will bring. I don’t know if we’ll get a happy ending to their story.
But I do know one thing. I pity the people who willfully choose to ignore a beautiful story about two people finding their way back to each other. That is real life. That is love. It's not always simple or easy. Second chances happen every single day. And how beautiful it is for us to witness the rekindling of two ex-lovers. That is Steve and Nancy's story.
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thr-333 · 2 months
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In other news- because tbh this other au holds more meaning in my heart (just cuz of how I relate to Donnie the most out of all of the aus), I genuinely am craving for angst with hurt/comfort for Leo Jr au.
sooo time for THOUGHTS I really am longing for moments with Leo Jr and Donnie, because...hnk- Donnie actually receiving comfort, care, patient understanding and acceptance instead of being told to suck it up or being ridiculed/treated like a ticking time bomb???? Means the world to me????? Idk- I guess my soul just aches for this version of Donnie who didn't get that safe space Leonardo's Donnie did. (i get the au is mainly Leo-centric, but for some reason this version of Don-tron ya created has somehow wormed his way into my heart and he is truly my favorite iteration in terms of aus???)
When I tell you that I felt my heart break over the silly comic where Leonardo says that Leo Jr and Casey Jr are twins, solely due to what that implies to the overall story. In a sense, Leo Jr gets to have variations of the life he would have if he hadn't been kidnapped (by all technicalities Leo Jr IS a victim of kidnapping no matter how wholesome it turned out to be). He gets to know the joys of having a twin, of being able to goof around and laugh, being understood/accepted, being able to make friends and be a kid! Meanwhile...Donnie (the one who was MEANT to have Leo as his twin) didn't get any of that. It hit hard that, even if it wasn't intentional by any means, Don was "easily replaced." (which idk if it's intentional or not, but that seems to be a reoccurring theme for the spiny softshell in this au). He'll never really have that close knit bond, not know what it's like, even if Leo Jr and him do grow close during their teenage years. Because in this reality, the "Disaster Twins" exist, Donnie's just not apart of it. Which is just another way that shows how much of a stranger the kid is to everyone who is supposed to be his family; his father, two brothers, and even the one who was at one point meant to be his twin.
That thought is sorta what led me down the rabbit hole of Leo Jr AU! Don brainrot. The kid's reality is one of neglect, extreme isolation, fear and...probably a deep well of self-hatred, loneliness, non existent self-worth, etc. (we saw how he struggled with in Rise Canon, so i can only imagine it is so much worse in this au). I can only imagine that this also impacts his ninpo and mystics later on, which probably is going to make his self-esteem take a nosedive.
Ngl if Leonardo's twin (who I'm gonna call Tello) is actually watching over his past self, it makes me wonder what he's thinking. His pov would be intriguing consider he'd be witnessing how much pain his twin's actions caused. Idk- I just- when I look at everything from this particular au, it makes me hope that Donnie is allowed to feel his big feelings without people trying to rush him. He should be allowed to be terrified, hurt, angry, etc towards Splinter and Leonardo. Neither of them deserve his forgiveness, because shit- both of them fucked up big time. They both caused complex trauma...and like- really need to face consequences. (apart of me sorta hopes Donnie DOESN'T forgive them) dakjsfsadfas sorry for rambling, not sure if any of that made sense, but I just- I have so many feelings about Donnie in the Leo Jr au, and really want to see more of him!
The sewers were a gross place to live if you asked Junior but Splinter refused to move to the hidden city. Luckily he had his portals meaning he could step into the already cleaned portion they called a home.
“Leo!” Mikey was the first to notice him. Dropping the plates on the table he was setting them vaulting over it, “You came!”
“It’s still Junior,” He reminded for the umpteenth time, “And yeah I said I would,”
Mikey collided into him for a hug. Junior gave a small wave to Raph- or Red, probably Red as the snapper wasn’t meeting his eyes while trying to hide his scowl. Splinter was setting the table in Mikeys stead, making wayyy too much eye contact as he kept staring at Junior. He was placing the plates down carelessly. The one in front of Donnie was placed down with a crack, only Junior caught his flinch.
“Great, he’s here, I saw him,” Donnie pushed away from the table in a frenzied movement, “Can I please leave now,”
“Purple your brother is here, that is more important than some computer,” Splinter snapped. No one took note of the way both Donnie and Junior cringed. 
“Nah he’s just tryna get out of showing me his lab since he promised last time,” Junior stepped forward and away from Mikey.
“I did no such thing,” Donnie scowled at him as Junior came around to his side,
“No use backing out now Dee,” Junior grinned, shuffling towards Donnie so the softshell backed away. Kind of like herding a very liable to bite sheep, “I’m expecting the grand tour, don't wait up everyone! “
But dinner…” Junior pretended he didn’t hear Mikey as he walked Donnie towards his room office lab space.
It was empty, with sections obviously organized out to put things there but with not enough actual stuff to do it. Donnie held himself like a tightly drawn string as they walked in. Not looking at Junior as the red slider circled around to the other's bed.
“What did you want to see?” Donnie asked tiredly as Junior came up behind him, “Most of my stuff is at the old place, or the other old place, or-”
Donnie was cut off by the blanket being draped over his head like a tablecloth.
“Nothing much,” Junior shrugged stepping away as Donnie went very still under the blanket, “Just had to get out of there, think I might sit quietly against a wall for the next half hour, not say anything, not do anything, you know how it is,”
Junior slid down the wall. He would have to go back eventually, or the others would break down the door and pull them both back to dinner. He estimated he had about thirty six minutes before that happened and that he could convince them to leave Donnie be. He’d say he asked if the softshell could make something for him. Something big so Donnie would have an excuse to disappear for the next week or so. They tended not to bother the other turtle as much if they thought he was doing stuff for the yokai.
The blanket shuffled, bunching up on the ground as Donnie sat near him. Only just within arms reach. He was covered head to toe, curled up and completely silent. Junior occupied himself trying to come up with a believable project. Maybe a new mask? That way he could wear his old one and the others would never know, it’s not like Splinter ever let them follow Junior to the battle nexus.
The blanket shifted but Donnie didn’t emerge. A hand poked out the bottom, listing up the cloth and bunching it up while still keeping the soft shell hidden. Junior reached his hand out halfway. Donnie couldn't see it but paused when his searching hand brushed up against it. Junior kept still, waiting, not minding one way or the other.
Donnie held his fingers, squeezing lightly. Junior squeezed back, not taking Donnie’s whole hand but meeting him where he was. It was pleasant, it was quiet. The noise from the others blocked off. A little bubble away from everything where they could just be. 
Junior thought growing up in the sewers may have not been all bad… if he got to do it with Donnie.
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legendaryvermin · 1 year
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Had an idea for a fantasy game mechanic this morning that I thought I'd share! If this is cool to you, go ahead and use it as a hack, or codify it in the rules of your game. Message me if this happens, I'd be really into seeing how this works at a table or in a bigger set of rules!
Mechanical Epithets and Sobriquets
Epithets as in like "John Heroman, the lonesome tree, hero of five forks, skull crusher" are a really fun thing from fantasy (and real life) that tell us about the deeds of characters without having to get the whole story. They paint broad strokes about a person and give us a vibe, but leave the actual details of their deeds up to the imagination.
Kinda like the best TTRPG character backstories. 👀
So a couple of assumptions to make this microhack work:
The Characters are Already Known Heroes
We aren't writing the story of their lives before the game starts
We want to discover what (at least some of) our character's abilities are during play
After you've got the basics of your character sorted out, take a minute to come up with (or pick from a pregenerated list) a handful of sobriquets that feel right for your character. I'd say somewhere in the area of 2-4 feels right, with more established adventurers having more epithets.
They should all be vague and evocative, and paint right up to the edges of what you have already established about the world. Name drop battles and gods that haven't been established, give your character stories that are part of their legend but that don't yet make sense to you.
And then, during play, have characters use them. Player characters, NPC's, gods, bosses, random goblins. Make your epithets into threats "You dare defy the The Evening Rook!?" or appeals to your authority "Do it not for a stranger, but in the name of the Leyfinder". Establish how people feel about those epithets, which ones they love you for, and which they fear or hate you for. Know what your character feels about each of these epithets, and start to know in your heart how they got them.
Then, when it's mechanically and or narratively appropriate, declare to the table that you're using your epithet to gain a new ability. Tell the story of how you earned the title to the rest of the table (you should already know how people feel about the title, which ought to make this easier), and write a new ability based on how you earned the title.
Don't worry too much about being good at ability writing, just tell the table what you want to be able to do, and people will help you come up with something that feels right. And if you find that your ability or someone else's isn't working down the line, is taking some of the fun out of the game, or anything like that, just have a conversation about it. You're (probably) an adult, and if the people you are playing with are friends, or at bare minimum decent people, they will understand and try to help fix the problem.
After the readmore I'm gonna write like 20 of these so that the post comes with a picklist/roll table to get you started. Happy adventuring ttrpg nerds!
Oakenheart
Venomistress
Unburnt
Night Thunder
The Seamstress' Eye
Wicked Arrow
Goldentongue
Velvet Hammer
Unshaken
Gxlrick's Bane
Wolf Eared
Sorrowfont
Crystal Keeper
Lowport's Vengeance
Mother of Asps
Godslayer
Nimblehand
Chosen of Seriha
The Clipped Wing
Doomspeaker
I'd love to see any epithets/titles/sobriquets that people come up with for this, maybe in the comments? Have fun!!!
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melonteee · 3 months
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Happy to see some Robin discussion and some Post TS Robin love on the dashboard for sure!!
I guess to continue the Robin love, I really love thinking about how at peace she is with the Straw Hats and also how her dream plays into her story and I'm really excited to see how that wraps up for her. I find hers particularly interesting, because it isn't even really HER dream (to know the void century), but she took on the dreams of those who no longer could. I'm sure she had some level of curiosity as a child for sure, but it can really be inferred that a lot of her interest in the Void Century (at first) was her desire to be closer to the Archeologists and her mother specifically. When she meets Saul, she tells him she just really wants to ask her mom to take her to sea, but she knows her mother is traveling in search of the Poneglyphs, so she learned too. At the heart of it, she just wanted to be loved and be with people who loved her, and looking into the Void Century was the means to that end until the Buster Call. Saul told her to find her friends at sea, and she clung to that hope. Her dream turned into carrying the burdens of those lost, rather than her own, but they both kept her going. It wasn't until that moment on the tower where Luffy coaxed it out of her like only he's capable of - she didn't just say she wanted to live, she said she wanted to go out to sea. Robin is now at sea, surrounded by the people who love her, and it really shows through every moment she's in Post TS. I know everyone wants to see her fight more, and I absolutely would never complain about seeing her more, but I find every time she's just in the background smiling to be some of the most rewarding moments for her. Her dream of finding out what happened in the Void Century is going to happen I'm sure, and I feel like it's going to be so interesting regardless, but I personally thing her true dream was fulfilled that day she asked Luffy to take her to sea with the Straw Hats. I could be way off base and wrong, but there's no rule that says you can only have one dream and be done with it - I mean heck, Luffy has two (being the pirate king and the one we don't know). I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have any! Or I'm sorry if I rambled lol. I just love Nico Robin, I'm not sure if you know this...
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It's why Zou is one of my favorite arcs honestly. She's so happy. She's so, so happy!!
(Also I am sorry if my reply to a post stoked any hurt for Robin Anon, it's all Robin love here and I understand where both of you were coming from, I should have been more considerate)
wahahah hello my Robin mutual!
Do not worry about the robin anon stuff! Me and the kind anon managed to come to an understanding haha.
BUT! Honestly? I have nothing to add! You summed everything up! Because I also love seeing Robin's happiness these days. I love seeing that she can express herself fully, and that she can find peace and comfort amongst the Strawhats without ever worrying about being stabbed in the back. She truly feels like herself in the timeskip, and truly feels like she's able to find herself and grow into someone so caring and authentic in her love for her family.
Egghead especially was so sweet because...she cried in joy! Not in fear or distress, but in joy! How many times would that have EVER happened to her?! She's really finding so much happiness now and it's warm my heart sm 😭😭
also side note I love how evil Nami looks here LMAO
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yourfandomfriend · 6 months
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Loki Finale Spoilers
The more I sit with that finale the more it wrinkles my brain.
(Spoilers, kay?)
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A lot of people are gonna take that finale hard. They're gonna cry. They're gonna yell. And that's okay.
They just wanted Loki to be hap-. No. No, I won't tell that lie. They don't care if he's happy. They wanted him to be indulged. Soothed. Kissy the face. Because they love him. (How could you not?) And they wanted to see him being indulged, in the way they feel he should be. Pictured it in their mind's eye, because they love themselves. And there's nothing wrong with feeling any of that.
But that's not a story. It's an infinite loop. It's trauma.
Loki feels lonely. Scared. Hurt. Something comes along and dandles him. Proves to him that he's worthy of life and love. The clouds part. He feels better. For now. But then something else hurts him and the cycle begins all over again. Hurt: Comfort. -> Hurt: Comfort. -> Hurt: Comfort.
Like a baby that stays a baby. Never grows or stands on his own two feet. Always needs to be cared for, always needs to be cuddled and kissed and sung to. Protect Him At All Costs. Like to dry his tears, reblog to bounce him on your knee.
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But if we love Loki -- exactly the way he is -- then what else is there? How else can we make him happy? Well, let's think...
For as long as we've known him, Loki's greatest fear was being alone. Why? He sees it as a judgement call.
His father abandoned him. Not because it would save the world, or by accident, or because life is cruel. But because he just didn't want him. The one person who should've loved him no matter what left him to die on the cold, hard ground. Because he didn't think Loki was worth it. That, in Loki's mind, is the meaning inherent to being alone.
He thinks it means you're unworthy of love.
Of course it would scare him. It scares us all in one way or another. But he let that fear define and control and ride him like a pony his entire life. It made him weak. It made him strong. It made him a villain and it made him a hero. It broke his heart and mended it.
But he never... actually... faced it. Never overcame it. So it kept him a child. An eternal child, constantly fighting for attention and worship, always pulling one house of cards after another down on his own head. Miserable. Ashamed. Entitled. A scared little boy shivering in the cold. The Orphaned Brat Prince of the MCU.
Until now.
This. Recontexualizes. The whole series! It makes Loki's arc about learning to overcome his fear, rather than just finding kinder ways to assuage it. It's not about becoming worthy, nor is it about learning he was worthy all along. It's about being able to sit with himself. To just be, without anything pulling his strings.
And when the crunch was on, he didn't kick the can down the road.
He's finally grown up.
He can stand on his own. He can take another's weight. In fact, he's proven he can do that infinitely. There's no scaling problem here. He doesn't have to live in fear of anything anymore. Yes, he's always been worthy, he just didn't know it, blah-blah-blah. But that's not the point. It's not riding his ass anymore.
"Alone" has lost it's power over him.
And so the Song of Freedom is finally not a lie to him. Because of him. They are free. Chaos wins. And because of this he's finally earned his throne. The throne to end all thrones. Earned it in a way no other king or god can boast.
Does he want it? No. But somebody had to do it. To lay down on the wire. What he wanted for himself -- what we wanted for him -- wasn't the point. A lot of people won't understand that because "this was his story! It's supposed to be about him!" But Loki's story has always been about learning it isn't all about him.
And it's not because he's unworthy. Not because we don't love him. It's not even because he's got an ego and needs to be taken down a peg. It's because learning that? It's just a part of growing up. The Bigger Picture. It's a lesson Thor had to learn. Tony had to learn. Stephen Strange had to learn. Wanda Maximoff. Peter Parker.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.
But apparently, that can scale infinitely. Loki is now...
...the Adopted Father of the MCU.
(holy mother forking shirt-balls)
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