#so obviously i’m having thoughts

[m00nagedreamin]

pepper: what’s your social security number?

tony:

tony: 5

pepper: and what’s your social security number?

peter:

peter: 6.

#i’m watching iron man #so obviously i’m having thoughts #irondad and spiderson #tony stark #pepper potts #marvel #iron man

[steveharrington]

listening to students tell me “yeah i can’t figure this out i’m just a girl 🤣” listening to my coworkers tell me “honestly i just can’t wait to become a stay at home girlfriend so i never have to work again!!” looking at my online feeds which have all become like pictures of cigarettes with a pink bow on them captioned “girlhood” i’m ACTUALLY going to start freaking the fuck out

#i’m not hating on my coworkers btw like. i won’t act like the thought of #getting to stay home and not having to work 40 hour weeks for meager earnings #while someone else handles expenses isn’t like obviously appealing #but it’s so. dangerous. to let your husband have full control of you financially #and one of them was explicitly saying she wants her job to be quote unquote taking care of her boyfriend #like yes we don’t dream of labor but girls please #you can find a job you’re interested in you can find a way to have control over your own income #please

[metamatronic]

God I wonder how the Elric's are gonna feel about Hughes being back and. Shit. Who's gonna tell his wife!? It's been two years! He has so many photos to catch up on...

roy “hughes retired to his farm up north” mustang did not, in fact, alert the elrics before the fake news story went public.

bonus doodles below:

also i’m trying not to get emotional over the fact that while missing 2-3 years of most relationships is negligible in the grand scheme of things, 2-3 years away from raising a toddler is huge. Fortunately (?) for Maes, he got back before Elicia could really understand the concept of death, but he still probably missed a lot of milestones. :,(

#fma #fullmetal alchemist #fmab #roy mustang #maes hughes #greed fma #edward elric #winry rockbell #gracia hughes #elicia hughes #art #doodles #comic #hugh munculus au #hugh monuculus au #also at first i was like “obviously maes would tell gracia about the whole dying and being a homunculus thing” #then i thought about his whole “i keep things bottled up so i can smile in front of my family” mentality and now i’m noooot so sure???? #but like. gracia probably had to identify the body. likely planned the funeral arrangements. #i have to imagine she knew pretty damn well he was dead #so maybe just keeping it from elicia then #oh my god. wait a minute. #did i just turn maes into fucking hohenheim

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

Randomly thinking about “tolerate it” (narrator voice: it was not random) and how under the cloak of fiction it is ostensibly inspired by works like “Rebecca” (which Taylor said she read during the 2020 lockdowns I believe?), with the line of “you’re so much older and wiser” indicating that the speaker is significantly younger and inexperienced compared to the person she’s speaking to and a pretty direct reference to the plot of the book.

But I saw something somewhere once that stuck with me about how it might not be referring to relative age between the characters but chronological age as in the passage of time in a relationship. And that made me think about how in a contemporary context, it might not necessarily be referencing an actual age gap between the two characters, but rather a sarcastic or cynical response to the man’s claims that he has matured (“you’re so much older and wiser [than you were before/than you were when we met/etc.]”), which then made me think about that line in relation to the woman. And that it could be taken like, “you act like you’ve matured so much in our time together and like you know everything, while I’m supposedly still stuck as the girl I was when we first met.”

Which then made me think of the “right where you left me” of it all and did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen time went on for everyone else she won’t know it and the bit in Miss Americana where she talks about how celebrities get frozen at the age at which they got famous, and how she’s had to play catch up in a lot of ways not just in her emotional growth but kind of in general. (Which also made me wonder if she’s ever been called out for immaturity/lack of curiosity/lack of education about things in her life…)

Which then made me think about the rest of the song, and @taylortruther’s posts yesterday about “seven” and “Daylight” and the way Taylor idealizes her youth yet contrasts it with an almost sinister reality in its wake, and the line, “I sit by the door like I’m just a kid,” because the discussion raised that her relationship let her recapture some of the childlike joy and wonder she’d lost. So this line is a double-edged sword: the speaker sits by the door with childlike hope that the person will come home and cherish her, but on the darker side, feels like the child dealing with the monsters she doesn’t have names for yet and the feelings of isolation she felt as she aged.

I’m not saying the song is necessarily autobiographical; like most of the songs on folkmore, it’s clearly a fictionalized story based on media she’d consumed and created, but we know a lot of the fictional songs were infused with her own feelings and experiences and… This idea swirling in my head picked up steam and now I kind of can’t stop thinking about it. Sorry but I’m a little obsessed now.

Like maybe it might start to shed light on why she identified so strongly with the novel in the first place…

#the third eye has been opened #��‍💫 #like tolerate it was always a difficult song #even when we learned it was based on Rebecca it obviously took on new meaning post-joever #and especially in light of ttpd #but the thought spiral i went on last night when i started thinking about all these connections #and the evermore of it all #I’m Charlie at the conspiracy board again #writing letters addressed to the fire #me thinking too hard about Taylor lyrics #evermore my beloved #tolerate it #i kinda gave myself the ick with all this 😵‍💫 #because of the ttpd of it all coming up #and i feel like i remember interviews where Taylor said joe was so well-read especially about like world events and politics and stuff #and supported her when she wanted to start speaking up (not getting into that) #but just based on ~vibes now I wonder if that was like a sore point too at some point #which again i have no proof of but just like… experience with pretentious millennial art bros lol #oh man oh man oh man #this feels like some sort of huge revelation at 1:00 am #when i started writing this lol #eta: when I queued this in the middle of the night i didn't see all the excellent discussion about the seven/folklore posts #so all of you who have been posting about them this morning consider yourselves tagged too!

[newvision]

Every time I drink wine I am will graham looking down at a shot hannibal and we have become each other and he is bleeding out and I am savouring the moment by drinking wine the way he does and I gloat like god often does and he takes the violence the way I did every time he violated me and he almost dies from a distant form of violence but what ultimately really kills him are my hands the way I said I’d do it anyway who wants another glass

#all I’m saying is that this scene was a metaphor for gay sex. hannibal was literally penetrated by the bullet #the details are insane actually #their looks have obviously turned into each other with will all clean shaven and in a button down while Hannibal wears a shirt and informal #blazer #but the way the scene is shot #the angle and the light #wills face being so dark cause we can see the darkness in him #hannibal accepting the pain the way will die when he took a saw to his skull or literallt any other time #they’re turning into each other do you understand they became each other #also most intense eye fucking I’ve ever seen on telly or in real life #also will asking Hannibal if god gloats in Digestivo (or dolce? I forgot) #and then gloating as hannibal is in obvious pain and bleeding out #they should’ve fucked nasty but tbh this was more fun to watch #the way will did* #hannibal #nbc hannibal #hannigram #emmys thoughts on hannibal #mads mikkelsen #Hugh dancy #wrath of the lamb

[mylittleredgirl]

i always sing the praises of having a beta reader if you want that sort of thing, but actually there are two separate fic-editor types:

alpha reader: just fucking uncritically loves your work. #1 fan. fully obsessed with the pairing you're writing to the exclusion of all good sense. might correct a comma or two but they are there to tell you that you are amazing and that you have never done anything wrong in your life and you should post that shit immediately. you ask them "does this part work?" and they say yes before the question is fully out of your mouth. the golden retriever of writing friends. every writer 100% needs one of these in their back pocket.

pros: THE best preemptive defense against the gaping chasm of self-doubt between "post work" and the first kudos.

cons: this is the reason why sometimes you see a fic that has eight beta readers thanked in the author's notes and the main character's name spelled wrong.

beta reader™️: these friends also fucking love your work, but the way they want to love it is to stick their fingers in your fic like a fruit bin at the grocery store and gently squeeze your characters (and commas) to see if they're ripe.

a good beta reader will copy edit your fic, notice if you've used the same sentence three times, and let you know if your sex scenes seem to contain the intended number of dicks per person.

a great one will highlight for you what's unique and wonderful about your writing, will help you problem-solve and plot through long fic, and will lovingly bug the shit out of you with how did she get here? and would he really say that? and is this what you meant? and when you say "oh shit no it isn't" their eyes light up and they go OKAY! let's figure this out!!!

more of a border collie kind of situation.

pros: the best way to polish your fic and grow as a fic writer. in my experience, it's also an incredible way to work through impostor syndrome. knowing someone you respect has been all up in your fic's junk and still says "it's great and you're great, now post it!" is a game-changer.

cons: if they show you what's not working, you're probably going to have to take time to fix it :/

caveats: not everyone who wants to give constructive feedback can deliver it in a way that works for everyone, so if the experience ends up making you feel bad, this is not a good match! it's also VERY helpful to tell your beta reader what level of editing you're looking for. if someone asks "can you give this a quick once-over before i post?" i know they want me to look for obvious mistakes and reassure them that it's post-worthy. if you ask me to "rip it apart" i'm going in there with a fine tooth comb.

(the primary motivation of both of these editor breeds is, of course, that they want you to write more and they want to read it before everyone else.)

bonus mode:

specialty reader: sensitivity readers and subject matter experts! if you are lucky enough to find and motivated enough to use one of these, their job is not to look at commas or to tell you that you're great, but to give advice on something specific in your fic.

edit: check the reblogs for a correction! turns out “alpha reader” is a pre-existing term in some circles for someone who helps you during the process, a lot like the great beta-reader i described above. taking suggestions for renaming my version of the alpha reader above. i’m thinking “hype man.”

#obviously this is your fic and your free time so none of this is required! #if you want to jack kerouak* it up in an ao3 draft and post without a second thought that is your god given right #fortunately or unfortunately for you i think i have a few posts in me on this subject so i’m going to tag it #beta readers #on fanfic #*jack kerouak actually spent years painstakingly editing on the road so it would look like he didn’t edit it at all #but never let facts get in the way of a good turn of phrase you know

[bpdohwhatajoy]

BPD IS SOOOO SILLY with how quickly you can get attached to someone. Like what do you MEANNNNN I’m attached to my tattoo artist who I knew for 3 hours and got salty that he has other clients????

#ryan.txt #bpd #borderline personality disorder #my bpd has not stopped raging in WEEKS #in my mind I literally had the thought that I wanted to get another tattoo so I’d have an excuse to see him again #THIS FUCKING DISORDER #why can’t I just get attached to someone at a normal rate #AND WHY A FUCKING TATTOO ARTIST WHO DONT GAF ABT ME #yk what actually #part of it is prob bc I’m touch starved and that’s the most physical contact I’ve had in… god knows how long #it’s all making sense now LMAOOOO #STOP I remember during too I had a brief moment of omg let’s imagine us dating and then I remembered I think he’s married or has a gf #killed that shit quick I was so embarrassed #omg wait he’s also tattooed himself obviously and I find tattoos hot LMAO BRO ITS MAKING SENSE NOW #like a hot tattooed man who is soft spoken is tattooing me how tf am I not supposed to find that attractive

[wiseatom]

i tried for a well thought out post. instead you get this mess that i’m begging you not to twist:

the outraged cries of “cliques” are people being actual friends with each other. the people complaining about certain blogs or creators being on pedestals are usually the same people putting them there. i’m not one to belittle feelings - i understand where the upset is coming from. i even understand my place in it! but at the end of the day, we’re working ourselves up over what? notes? followers? hits on a fic? things based on luck and timing??

i can only speak for myself, but i work a full time job and i’m hard scheduled 45 hours a week. all of my free time goes towards fic writing, because that’s For Me and that’s what’s important for my mental health, and even then, i am usually too exhausted to do that. i would love to read fic and interact more! my to-read list is a mile long! it is just genuinely hard for me to find the time. i prioritize my friends because they are my friends — real, actual people i know beyond tumblr mutualship, who i talk to about more than just fic writing — and even then i am late getting around to it. i’m not saying this as a “woe is me, my life is hard” moment, but moreso trying to offer a perspective that is not even being thought of. and i get it, no one wants to hear it, because you’re frustrated, and being vocal about frustration feels nice (i know, bc here i am)!!

someone is going to come for my throat for making this post as a “big author” and “part of the clique we’re all vagueing” and maybe it’s juuuuust me but like. if you’re that unhappy, log off. if seeing a friend group you’re not part of interacting makes you unhappy, log off. if seeing the engagement other people get on their posts or fic or art makes you unhappy, log off. you cannot force people to interact with you or your creative work, and aggressively posting about it when they don’t is not inviting them to. i am begging you to stop having expectations of people you do not know, because at the end of the day, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.

#i will be the first to recognize my quote unquote privilege when it comes to this topic lol #but it’s like. idk. you’re welcome to reply to this or rb with thoughts or tear up my ask box lmfao #i’ve been trying to word this more eloquently for hours and this is all i’ve got #but yk. whatever. i still can’t even word what i’m trying to say #know that this comes from a place of genuine concern and kindness i really am not trying to sound like a bitch here lol #again feel free to ask for clarification or whateva cheddar but the hostility has been Poppin #and i know y’all gonna be like IF YOU THINK THE POST IS ABOUT YOU IT PROBABLY IS!! #and it’s like ok well i think it’s interesting that i made a silly blog for a silly fic and made silly promo stuff with my silly friends #and suddenly we clique posting again. like i’m not being so conceited as to say OBVIOUSLY this is abt me but the timing is interesting lol. #believe me i would love to have time to read more things so like. tell me what you want fr lol #i know this is abt to get me into a mess lmfao hitting post anyway

[ruthytwoshakes]

holy freakshow I tototally forgot to show off my new epic fursona deisgng

bask in her glory whyis this image so large

her name is Ruth becuausde my name is awesome and it stands for ruthless unstoppable terrorizing hellspawn . She’s 16 and wants to kill you but she can’t because she has braces and it hurts to bite. She glows in da dark because she’s really cool and her favorite food is caramel apple lollipops.

#furry art #sfw furry #fursona #Jumpscare to people who follow me for tf2 (everybody) but I didn’t make any art today to share so I thought I should post this #Maybe I should make fursonas for the tf2s #spy would be a sheep with a wolf mask. Fox mask. Whatfere Mayhaps he would be a ram instead. Mayhaps #mayhaps mayhaps #whst the hell das that word even mean #scout is a hare creepy mf. Maybe with horns because spy dad. Jackalope #demo?? I’m getting flamingo for some reason. Maybe those Scottish cows. #soldier is a moose or a griffin. Yeah #heavy is bear. Obviously. #medic is wolf? Maybe one of those freaky tall wolves? Maybe bird of prey hmmmm #engineer is hornet. Maybe a beagle. Or a big cat like a mountain lion. Or a bull. #sniper??? Idk man kiwi? That’s too cute for him. Something fucked up. Like a coyote. Or an alligator. A lanky gator. #Pyroooo hmmmmmmmmmmm I think bug. Fly. Skunk. Cat. Creature. Definitely a creature. Hmmmmmmmm chimera? Pony? So many choices. #pauling is a mouse and administrator is a cougar. saxton is terrifying and bidwell is a cat. Gray man is a vulture and Olivia is a turkey #I could go off on this all day but I have homework goodbye #ruths doodles

[jacarandaaaas]

I am so SICK of people saying mirabel was a doormat that “forgave abuela immediately” she didn’t even forgive her?? “nothing can ever be broken that we can’t fix together” seems more like a wow this is a bad situation but I’m willing to let you help me fix it and fix our broken bond too. Like idk I never interpreted that as forgiveness. Some argue that the hug was the forgiveness but I’m pretty sure alma initiated that not mirabel. Also she hugs almost everyone in the movie hugs can have multiple meanings it’s just a form of support.

#encanto #encanto disney #disneys encanto #mirabel madrigal #disney’s encanto #abuela alma madrigal #is this an unpopular opinion idk #thoughts ? #like mirabel doesn’t seem like the kind to sweep it under the rug after her house literally fell on top of her #obviously it’s not gonna be smooth sailing immediately but they don’t have time to show all that #I fully believe if we got a continuation they would show moments where alma has to try break old habits #like her and mirabels dynamic is so much more complicated than it looks I feel #maybe I’m thinking too much lmao

[comradekatara]

Hi! Sorry if this has been asked before/you’ve answered this before, but I’m curious what you think of how Sokka acts just… overall.

To me, he’s always read as being someone who’s emotionally repressed, and doesn’t quite know how to deal with his emotions and blames himself for a lot, and micromanages as a way to try and overcompensate for things in his past that have been out of his control. (And he’s definitely a prodigy. I don’t think that, especially after the massacre, the southern water tribe would have many scrolls to read on, so it’s my personal hc to believe he taught himself physics lmao. But even without that, definitely a prodigy.) Who is, unfortunately, doomed by the narrative. But he’s still a loving guy, and very protective over his family.

But I’d love to see how someone else sees it! He’s one of my favorites ever lmao.

sorry for leaving this ask to fester in my inbox for over a month (hastily shoves away the asks i’ve been sitting on for multiple years) but at the time I had received a bunch of asks about sokka’s tormented psyche in quick succession, and I was trying to get through those first before approaching this broader, more open-ended question. I mean, obviously you could always just peruse my sokka tag, because at this point I’ve clocked so many hours analyzing him that it’s actually quite dire, and I’m pretty sure that you already have. but if I was to distill “sokka’s whole deal” into a few key sentences, I would first emphasize that his survivor’s guilt/martyr complex really underscores who he is and how he operates in any given situation in a crucial way.

I don’t think any of what you said in this ask is remotely incorrect, for the record, but focalizing the formative traumas that defined him: his mother’s sacrifice, and his father then passing that mantle onto him (in fairness, not deliberately on hakoda’s part, but when kya sets such a blatant precedent for what it means to “protect your sister,” it’s hard not to internalize that logic). he feels personally responsible and implicated in every single thing that could go wrong, because unlike katara, who (very understandably) gets angry when bad things happen and are done to her, sokka gets guilty. he was never able to process his grief in a remotely healthy way, so he has internalized that his singular role above all else is to die so that others may live, without ever actually acknowledging that this mentality is a byproduct of his trauma (because, like you said, he is absurdly repressed), and he feels guilty every time he is unable to prevent anything bad that happens to anyone he cares about, whether it’s remotely his fault or not.

he wants control over every situation because he feels responsible and thus guilty no matter what happens. not only is control the one thing he has, but he’s even more controlling when leaving his tribe because unlike with his grandmother, whom he trusts, he does not trust 99% of people on the planet, and is constantly wary of any ulterior motives they may have (which is why it’s a very good thing that all his friends are so sincere it’s almost concerning), or just their sheer stupidity leading them (and him by association) into trouble (in fact I think sokka would far rather ally with a two faced bitch than with an idiot, because at least you can reason with a two faced bitch). as katara rightfully points out (frequently), sokka is a paranoid cynic, but it’s hard not to be a paranoid cynic when the last time you had any shred of hope whatsoever is when you thought the southern raiders were retreating from your village and then you went home to find your mother’s charred corpse in the living room.

moreover, his trauma at the hands of imperialist violence has informed so much of who he is to the point that he genuinely feels that he isn’t, because that’s how throughly he has been dehumanized by the fire nation’s colonial project. it’s not just that he feels worthless, it’s that he feels unpersoned. due to assuming the mantle of protector before he was old enough to form a coherent sense of self, that role became his entire sense of self, and now he feels that he is nothing more than a shield with which he can protect katara (and others, but mainly katara), and can’t detach himself from that role even though it’s unhelpful and unhealthy, because (in his mind, at least) it is truly all he has.

so in summary, he’s a paranoid, miserable, depressed misanthrope who is repressing a fuck ton of grief and trauma to simply get through the day, including the fact that he feels it is his duty to die for his people and his loved ones—especially katara, to the point that he has an unhealthy codependent attachment towards her because he stakes his entire identity to her existence—and has no sense of self beyond his role as provider, protector, and (inevitable) martyr. obviously that’s just what his deal is psychologically, which is different from his personality (cue the, here I was thinking he’s just a fun, silly guy!) but you will also never get anywhere in understanding sokka if you think that he somehow has less trauma than katara, rather than the fact that unlike katara, who is able to process her emotions in an open and healthier way, sokka simply ignores it. but he also does a pretty bad job of hiding it most of the time, because he literally acts like a trapped prey animal in basically every situation once you look past the sarcasm and witticisms that provide his favorite tried and true coping/deflection mechanism. you just have to care enough to look past the surface, which most people don’t, including himself.

#luriuan #asks #sokka #analysis #obviously I have so much more to say but I’m pretty sure I’ll never stop stuffing the sokka + analysis tags with my thoughts so … tbc .. #cptsd fish…. swimming in circles #hes just a nice silly guy who kills people sometimes don’t worry about it

[sincerely-sofie]

Does Opal still speak very formally around Team Skull? Because this scenario is playing out in my head and I want you to hear it.

Opal: *says something in an archaic manner, the specifics don't really matter*

Skuntank: "Chaw-haw! Uh, Yeah! Sure I can do that!"

Opal: *content, leaves to go do something*

Skuntank: *leans over to zubat and koffing, sweating* "Do either of you boys know what I just agreed to?

Oh my word.

#Team Skull rapidly flipping through the thesaurus they’re all hunched over so they can understand what the heck their goddaughter said #I’m having flashbacks to the day I made a guy in my math class genuinely freak out bc I was speaking entirely in biblical english #I thought he was kidding about it being weird and unsettling #he wasn’t :[ #he was lowkey terrified of me for the rest of the year #turns out this isn’t a skill everyone is able to whip out at random? #which felt fake to me as a youth #Like #No. Everyone is able to do that #Just like how everyone reads dictionaries cover-to-cover for fun as a 3rd grader! #/Obviously./ #shadow baby au #pmd team skull #pokemon mystery dungeon #pokémon mystery dungeon #pmd explorers #pmd sky #pmd eos #pmd2 #pmd #sofie answers asks

[necessarymeanstoanend]

string the sinner by his wings. in his head, a brittle bone. (advice - alex g)

could not for the life of me think of a background so we’ve got this weird circle thing happening again.

this original piece was called “nosebleed” for this reason but i decided that i liked the other version better

without background and sketch

#if nigel were a planet what planet would he be? #the quote is just there because i think of nigel everytime i hear that lyric #really everytime i hear that song. which has been nonstop lately #his eyes look so dark in this scene #i’ve seen a couple of other people draw this one so i wanted to get more creative with it so nobody thought i was copying them- #-but it just wasn’t happening. no matter how hard i tried #the brain could not come up with anything interesting at all. and i gave it three days of this bitch sitting on my ipad before i gave up #but i changed the colors a bit and called it a day #this one is very obviously referenced so i’m not going to take FULL credit but i still spent almost six hours on it (5 hrs and 52 min) #it’s more fun to draw with references and it’s important for the learning stage so i’m just gonna take this slow and let myself have it #anyway #let me know when you guys get tired of seeing me strictly draw nigel #also thanks so so so much for the love guys. you are all so sweet and it means everything to me omg #murderous intent #like minds #like minds 2006 #nigel colbie #art #fanart #drawing #digital art #artist of tumblr #nigel colbie fanart #tom sturridge #like minds fanart #procreate

[vulcanette]

I really loved Nope. I can’t stop thinking about the scene when Emerald is talking about how she was supposed to train Jean Jacket and Pops never looked up at her at the window but OJ did. OJ acknowledged her and saw her. He named the Creature “Jean Jacket” as a way of saying, here’s the chance you wanted. The chance you never got. And she is the one who finally solved the puzzle and killed it/got it to leave. And she got her picture. I’m so proud of them, best siblings ever

#this movie was so good for so many reasons ljke it had the suspense it had the twisted inexplicable moments of pure horror #it had deep meaning connected to Viewing and Digesting and Taming #the siblings kept surprising me bc you can tell there’s moments where they don’t agree but they choose to stay together and fight together. #em chooses to stay and not run away leaving her brother to die w their horses #it’s just a beautiful film I’m so happy I watched it #I thought Steven Yeuns character was SO. fucked up. he obviously is so haunted by the violence of the past but makes a shrine to it. #spins it and uses it for social status. cheapening any lesson he may have learned about life and death into some idea that he’s ‘chosen’ #I want to keep ranting about this but I must continue Pondering #personal #a small diary entry #nope 2022

[the-raging-tempest]

🌹 Love on the Bloodstone Rose - Ophenia Thwait 🌹

💕 Lariel and featuring @aelyosos’ lovely lad Ocean 💕

#my art #oc: lariel #friend oc: ocean #I’ve been in my pirate era and been writing a little pirate au for the twins #having a blast and obviously I thought of THEE pirate #Ocean is such a charming fellow and I’m so glad Sam humored me so!! #now I ship it though #Lariel would have the world biggest crush on him #she don’t know what’s coming LMAO #he’s too charming *faints* #this started from a more classic bodice ripper type pose #but that doesn’t suit Lariel so I went for more a #she slipped and he caught her and now 😳 💕😳 #truly i had so much fun with this thank you Sam 💕💕💕 #I redid Lariel’s face like one million times and FINALLY #im happy with it #pwotr pals #made a fake book title for our beloved author oc #pirate au

[mxgoldenwood]

I CAN NOT stop thinking about Astarion with cleric-of-Ilmater Tav, so a few thoughts that have crossed my mind….

First… what could possibly be a more powerful religious experience for a follower of Ilmater than giving up your own blood, so that a friend in need won’t go hungry? The way Astarion’s first bite is narrated, it would almost certainly be a transcendent, divine experience.

Following on from this, though… the more Tav and Astarion spend time around each other, the more I think they would both gain from their relationship.

Yes, Astarion is annoyed by his companions playing the hero and he doesn’t like it when Tav promises to help people just because they’re sworn to relieve suffering wherever they can. He’s selfish and jaded and nobody ever did that for him (before now) so why are these strangers so special?

But on the flip side, there comes a point when Astarion has a point!! Tav doesn’t need to open their veins for every stranger in need. Maybe they shouldn’t sell their soul to help someone who would as soon kill them as look at them. You can’t fill up anyone else’s glass when your own is empty, and all that. I can easily imagine Astarion’s annoyance with Tav’s heroics shifting gradually from “ugh, what makes these people so special that they deserve help for nothing?” to “darling, you’re killing yourself slowly— and for what?” as he finds himself becoming more genuinely attached to Tav.

When you have people who care about you, your suffering becomes theirs. Cleric-of-Ilmater Tav may not see this at first, but they could come to understand it. By all means, help where you can. But don’t make your loved ones watch as you bind yourself onto the rack for someone whose gratitude can never cancel out the vicarious suffering of your (found) family watching you suffer. If anyone would speak up and talk some sense into Tav about this, it would be Astarion.

Just as Tav can set a good example for Astarion, reminding him that he has some goodness and maybe a little heroics of his own, buried under all the bitterness and trauma…. I believe Astarion would have a thing or two to teach cleric-of-Ilmater Tav about when it’s fine to help, and when they’re hurting themself for no good reason.

#text post #baldur’s gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #astarion #i’m so normal about him #ilmater #astarion romance #just some thoughts I’m having on this lovely Monday #about my favorite vampiric elf babygirl #obviously this isn’t even getting into the potential d/s or s/m dynamics they could have between them given time to negotiate it #but rest assured I will have thoughts about that as well #I’m just always feral for romance dynamics where both parties can learn from each other and grow #especially when there’s an element of healing trauma #and when one person’s trauma so perfectly complements the other’s that they are polar opposites and can learn to find balance in each other #i’m not normal about them at all #this is 100% about my first playthru with Erann as Tav #but I absolutely think it could apply for anyone romancing Astarion with a follower of Ilmater