#that & my work are examples of a bad situation needing to become an even worse situation to force me to leave sjfjskd 😐😐

[kil9]

man.... got out of my shitty old job got out of my shitty old house.... I think I am unstoppable

#99.txt #my old house.... became like a nightmare for me because im so scared of bugs especially centipedes #and it got to a point where a centipede would come to my room every single day and i just lived in constant anxiety #and literlly blood splatters on the wall like an insane person #they liked my house so much cos the basement walls were half filled with water at all times and generating mold #which i was also breathing at all times to become more insane #and it would flood the basement every time it rained lol.... so eventually the landlords ''fixed'' it #which meant stopping the water from leaking into the basement. but not from getting into the walls in the first place............... #so now there was no exit and the walls became MUCH MORE filled with water. #much more bugs and now you could even smell the mold from outside the house. #then on top of that the landlords go ''we're going to raise your rent in 3 months ^_^'' #by some insane ammount i dont remember #so we went ok......... goodbye #that & my work are examples of a bad situation needing to become an even worse situation to force me to leave sjfjskd 😐😐 #im so much happer now #HEY have u noticed i havent had a public internet breakdown in like ???? months or something ????? #i feel like i can think like a person haha >_< like a still kinda crazy person but........ jesus #my life has not been simple lmao

[axlerica]

CO-PARENTING ~

-"The one where Pedri and Y/N have a kid together and co-parent despite their breakup"-

In a cozy apartment, Y/N sat at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in hand, gazing out of the window lost in thought. It had been a while since she and Pedri had parted ways, and their journey had taken an unexpected turn. Their son, a bright-eyed and spirited little boy named Mateo, was the thread that continued to bind them.

One evening, Y/N took a deep breath and decided to address the situation. She knew that change was inevitable, but it was important to find a way forward that would be best for their son.

Y/N: "Pedri, we need to talk about something."

Pedri, who had been playing with Mateo in the living room, looked up with curiosity.

Pedri: "Sure, Y/N. What's on your mind?"

Y/N: "I've been thinking... Maybe it's time for me to find a new place to live. Mateo is growing up, and he needs stability. I think it's better for him if we have our own separate spaces."

Pedri's expression changed, a mix of resistance and understanding.

Pedri: "Y/N, I know we're not together anymore, but I still want to be a part of Mateo's life as much as possible."

Y/N: "And you will be, Pedri. This isn't about keeping you away. It's about creating a healthy environment for Mateo. We can still co-parent, but he deserves a consistent home."

Pedri sighed, his gaze shifting to the floor as he considered Y/N's words.

Pedri: "I just... I can't help but feel like I'm losing even more of what we had."

Y/N reached out and placed a comforting hand on Pedri's arm.

Y/N: "I understand that it's difficult. But we both want what's best for Mateo, right? This isn't about us, it's about him."

Pedri looked up, meeting Y/N's eyes. There was a mixture of emotions playing across his face - sadness, nostalgia, and a hint of resignation.

Pedri: "You're right, Y/N. It's just hard to let go."

Y/N: "It's not about letting go completely, Pedri. We'll always be connected through Mateo. This is just about giving him a solid foundation."

Pedri: "But why though? I don't believe Mateo would be happy in having to split his time between two homes, spending one week here and the next at yours. It's exhausting. He’s happy here. Why would you want him to go through that?”

Y/N: "Pedri, the reason I think it's important for us to have separate spaces is because... I don't want Mateo to see you enjoying a lifestyle that involves partying and not taking responsibilities seriously. I want him to grow up in an environment that values commitment and stability. You told me that you don’t party much, but…”

Pedri’s eyes darted away momentarily, his defensive instinct kicking in.

Pedri: “Look, Y/N, I might go out and party occasionally, but it’s not like it’s a constant thing. It’s just a way to release the stress from my work, I’m still young I need to enjoy my life too.”

Y/N felt a mix of frustration and hurt, the weight of unspoken disappointment crashing over her.

Y/N: “Pedri, I’m not naive. I know what’s really happening. You might say it’s occasional, but it’s becoming more frequent than you let on. It’s not just about you anymore. This is why I think it’s best for me and Mateo to live in another place. You want to enjoy your life right? Go on, we won’t hold your back.”

Pedri’s expression turned from defensive to conflicted, as if a mix of guilt and defiance was battling within him.

Pedri: “Look, okay fine yes I party a lot but I’m not neglecting Mateo, Y/N. I still spend time with him.”

Y/N’s voice trembled with a mixture of sadness and determination.

Y/N: “It’s not just about physically being there, Pedri. It’s about the example you’re setting for him. I don’t want our son to see partying as a priority over responsibilities.”

Pedri’s brows furrowed, his frustration evident in his tone.

Pedri: “You’re making it sound worse than it is. I’m not a bad father just because I enjoy my time.”

Y/N’s eyes welled with tears, her voice cracking with emotion.

Y/N: “Pedri, this isn’t about attacking you. It’s about what’s best for Mateo. I can’t let him grow up thinking that this is okay.”

The room was filled with tension, the unspoken pain between them tangible.

Pedri: “I never meant for it to come to this point, Y/N.”

Y/N: “I’ve tried to make this work, Pedri. But I can’t keep pretending like everything is okay when it’s not. I won’t let Mateo be influenced by this.”

Pedri looked at Mateo playing in the living room, a mixture of emotions coursing through him. He knew Y/N was right, but admitting it was like acknowledging his own shortcomings.

Pedri: “I need to figure this out, Y/N. I don’t want to lose you or Mateo.”

Y/N: “This is for Mateo's sake, I think it's best if we each create a positive and nurturing environment."

Pedri: "Bueno…you're right, Y/N. I want to be the best influence for Mateo, even if it means making some changes."

Y/N: "Thank you, Pedri. I know this isn't easy for either of us, but I believe it's the right step."

In the days that followed, Y/N found a new place to live, creating a comfortable home for herself and Mateo. The transition wasn't without its challenges, but both Y/N and Pedri remained committed to co-parenting their son with love and care.

———————————————————————

One evening, as the sun began to set, Pedri was missing Mateo terribly and yearned to hear his laughter once more.

Dialing Y/N's number, he took a deep breath, hoping for a positive response. After a few rings, Y/N's voice greeted him on the other end.

Y/N: "Hello?"

Pedri: "Hey, Y/N. It's me, Pedri. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Y/N: "Oh, hey, Pedri. No, you're not disturbing us. We're just out for a coffee."

Pedri's heart skipped a beat. The image of Y/N and Mateo, sitting in a cozy corner of a cafe, sharing moments together, tugged at his emotions.

Pedri: "Is Mateo with you?"

Y/N: "Yes, he's right here. We're at Starbucks."

Pedri hesitated, his voice gentle yet determined.

Pedri: "Is anyone else with you?"

Y/N paused for a moment, then decided to be honest.

Y/N: "Actually, I'm here with João."

Pedri's heart sank slightly, but he tried to hide his disappointment.

Pedri: "Oh, I see. Well, I miss him a lot. Do you think it's okay if I come to pick him up? I just want to spend some time with him."

Y/N glanced at Mateo, who was engrossed in his coloring book. She understood that Pedri missed his son and wanted to spend time with him.

Y/N: "Sure, Pedri. He'd be thrilled to see you. We'll be here."

Pedri: "Thank you, Y/N. I appreciate it."

Y/N handed the phone to Mateo, her smile warm as she whispered, "Papi called and wants to talk with you."

Mateo's eyes lit up, his small hand reaching out for the phone.

Mateo: "Hola, papi!"

Pedri's voice softened at the sound of his son's greeting.

Pedri: "Hola, Mateo! How are you, champ?"

Mateo was really excited and talked a lot, telling stories about his day in a way that only kids can. Pedri listened closely, feeling happy and he couldn't stop smiling at how enthusiastically Mateo talked about things.

Pedri: "Mateo, how about this? Would you like to come to papi's home and sleep with papi tonight?"

Mateo: "Yes, papi! I want to!"

Pedri's heart swelled with happiness at his son's response.

Pedri: "Great! I'll be there to pick you up soon. We'll have a fun night together, okay?"

Mateo's reply was a resounding "Yes, papi!" that filled Pedri's heart with warmth.

Y/N took the phone from Mateo, a smile lighting up her face as she addressed Pedri.

Y/N: "Pedri, Mateo is really excited to spend some time with you. So you’re going to come here and pick him up?"

Pedri: "Of course, Y/N. I'll be there soon."

Around 20 minutes later, Pedri arrived at Starbucks. As he walked in, his eyes scanned the cafe, searching for Mateo and Y/N. What he found took him slightly off-guard: Y/N was laughing, deep in conversation with João. Watching them being close made Pedri feel a bit jealous, and it reminded him of all the complicated things that had happened between them in the past.

Pedri pushed aside his feelings and focused on what mattered most—his son. He approached the table with a friendly nod towards João.

Pedri: “Hey, bro.”

Y/N’s smile widened as she stood up, João following her lead.

Y/N: “Hi, Pedri. Mateo can’t wait to see you.”

Pedri greeted Y/N with a warm smile.

Pedri: “Hey, Y/N. I’ve missed him.”

João, sensing the situation, offered a friendly nod in acknowledgment.

João: “Hey, nice to see you again.”

Pedri: “You too.”

Y/N: “João has been keeping us company while we waited. He’s really good with Mateo.”

Pedri managed a smile, despite the conflicting emotions swirling within him.

Pedri: “That’s great to hear. Thanks for being there, man.”

João nodded, a friendly gesture that indicated his willingness to support Mateo’s happiness.

João: “No problem. Mateo’s a cool kid.”

Pedri turned his attention to Mateo, who was practically bouncing with excitement.

Pedri: “Hey, champ! Are you ready to have a fun night with papi?”

Mateo’s face lit up with pure joy.

Mateo: “Yes, papi! Let’s go!”

Y/N: “Hey Pedri, actually, João and I are headed out for dinner now. I’ll drop off Mateo’s stuff later tonight. Is that okay?”

Pedri nodded, gratitude in his eyes.

Pedri: “Of course, Y/N. You can drop his stuff later, don’t worry”

Y/N: “Alright. Have a wonderful evening, you two!”

—————————————————

Later that night, heavy rain pouring from the sky, drenching everything in its path. Y/N, arrived at Pedri's house to drop off Mateo's belongings. However, she found herself thoroughly soaked as she stood at Pedri's doorstep.

With a sigh, she rang the doorbell, holding Mateo's things in one hand and trying to shield herself from the rain with the other. Pedri and Mateo opened the door, and their expressions quickly shifted from surprise to concern when they saw Y/N's shivering form.

Pedri's voice was laced with worry as he spoke.

Pedri: "Y/N, are you okay? You're completely soaked!"

Y/N: "Yeah, I’m fine..I just…. I didn't have an umbrella. I'm sorry."

Without hesitation, Pedri stepped aside and gestured for her to come in.

Pedri: "Come inside quickly. You're freezing."

Mateo's eyes widened as he saw Y/N's condition.

Mateo: "Mami, you're all wet!"

Y/N chuckled softly, even through her shivers.

Y/N: "Yes, buddy, I am. But it's nothing a warm shower won't fix."

Pedri grabbed a towel and handed it to Y/N, concern etched on his face.

Pedri: "Here, dry yourself off."

Pedri glanced at Y/N with concern, the sound of raindrops against the windows creating a soothing backdrop.

Pedri: "You know, Y/N, the rain is really coming down hard. Are you sure you don't want to stay a while? You could wait until it stops."

Y/N: "Thank you, Pedri, but I think I'll be fine. I'll just head home and take a warm shower."

Despite her words, Pedri's worry lingered.

Pedri: "Are you sure? It's pouring out there, and you're still shivering a bit."

Y/N chuckled softly, touched by his persistence.

Y/N: "I promise I'll be okay. A warm shower will do wonders."

Mateo chimed in, his eyes wide.

Mateo: "Mami, you should stay. Papi's right."

Y/N laughed softly, her heart warmed by Mateo's concern.

Y/N: "Thank you, sweetheart. You're both so thoughtful."

Pedri's expression was a mix of concern and determination.

Pedri: "Listen, Y/N, I insist. Please stay here until the rain calms down. I don't want you to get sick."

Y/N: "Alright, alright. You win. I'll stay a bit longer."

Pedri: "Good. I'll make some tea. It'll help warm you up."

As Pedri headed to the kitchen, Y/N exchanged a knowing look with Mateo, who grinned mischievously.

Mateo: "See, Mami? Papi always knows best."

Y/N ruffled Mateo's hair affectionately.

Y/N: "Yes, he certainly does."

Pedri: “Y/N, you’re so wet from the rain. You should take a shower and change into something dry. You can wear my clothes.”

Y/N chuckled softly, appreciating his concern.

Y/N: “It’s really alright, Pedri. I don’t want to trouble you.”

Pedri: “Please, Y/N. Just change into something dry. Your clothes are wet, and I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

Y/N teased playfully, a twinkle in her eyes.

Y/N: “Well, even if I wanted to, you only have skinny pants here, and you know damn well I don’t fit into those.”

Pedri laughed.

Pedri: “What? Noo, I have other pants too. In fact, I have sweatpants. You can wear those.”

Y/N: “ Well, alright, fine. But only because you’re so insistent.”

Pedri handed her a cup of tea.

Pedri: “Here, drink this tea first. I’ll go find the sweatpants for you.”

Y/N accepted the tea with a smile.

Y/N: “Thank you, Pedri. You’re too kind.”

As Pedri left to fetch the sweatpants, Y/N took a sip of the warm tea. Then, Pedri returned to the room, holding a pair of sweatshirt and sweatpants. He grinned as he approached Mateo, handing him the clothes.

Pedri: "Hey, buddy, can you do me a favor? Give these to Mami."

Mateo's eyes widened in excitement as he took the clothes from Pedri's hands.

Mateo: "Sure, papi!"

With a playful bounce in his step, Mateo scampered over to Y/N, his small hands clutching the clothes.

Mateo: "Mami, look what papi got for you!"

Y/N: "Oh, sweetie, did papi get these for me?"

Mateo nodded enthusiastically, his eyes sparkling.

Mateo: "Yes! He said you should change into these, Mami."

Y/N chuckled softly, her heart warmed by the sight of Mateo's eagerness to help.

Y/N: "Well, it looks like papi really wants me to change, huh?"

Mateo nodded, a mischievous grin on his face.

Mateo: "Yes, Mami! He said you'll feel better."

Y/N looked at Pedri, who was watching them with a smile that showed he found it cute and caring.

Y/N: "Alright, Mateo. Tell papi thank you for these and I'll change right now.

Mateo's face lit up with excitement.

Mateo: "Okay, Mami!"

Mateo had a big, happy smile and ran back to where Pedri was sitting. He told him the message with lots of excitement, just like how kids do when they're really, really excited.

Pedri’s eyes lit up as he noticed Y/N’s return wearing his clothes. He couldn’t help but admire how the clothes suited her.

Pedri: “Well, I must say, you make those sweatpants and sweatshirt look better than I ever could.”

Y/N laughed softly, charmed by his playful compliment.

Y/N: “Oh, really? You’re just saying that.”

Pedri leaned back on the couch, a grin tugging at his lips.

Pedri: “No, I mean it. It’s not every day I see someone who can pull off comfy clothes with such style.”

Y/N’s cheeks warmed slightly at his words, her heart fluttering at his flirtatious tone.

Y/N: “Flattery will get you everywhere, won’t it?”

Pedri chuckled, his gaze lingering on her.

Pedri: “I’m just stating the truth. You look great.”

Mateo, ever observant, chimed in with a grin.

Mateo: “Mami, you look like papi now!”

Y/N laughed, leaning down to ruffle Mateo’s hair.

Y/N: “You think so, buddy?”

Mateo nodded enthusiastically.

Mateo: “Yes! You’re both wearing the same clothes!”

Pedri joined in the playful banter, his eyes twinkling.

Pedri: “That’s right, Mateo. Your Mami and I are matching.”

Y/N chuckled, enjoying the lightheartedness of the moment.

Y/N: “Well, I have to admit, it’s a pretty comfy outfit.”

Pedri grinned, his voice taking on a teasing note.

Pedri: “Maybe you should keep it. I’ll have to find new clothes.”

Y/N : “Well really? thank you, I appreciate this”

Pedri glanced at her, his voice gentle.

Pedri: "I hope you're feeling better now."

Y/N nodded, her expression grateful.

Y/N: "Much better, thank you."

Mateo looked at them, his innocent eyes wide.

Mateo: "Mami, did you get wet because of the rain?"

Y/N smiled warmly at her son.

Y/N: "Yes, sweetheart. I got caught in the rain."

Mateo's concern was evident as he looked at her.

Mateo: "You should be careful next time, okay?"

Y/N chuckled softly, touched by his worry.

Y/N: "I will, Mateo. Thank you for caring."

The three of them sat together, wrapped in the warmth of each other’s company and the cozy atmosphere of the room.

Pedri: “So, what movie should we watch, Mateo?”

Mateo’s eyes lit up as he thought about his favorite movies.

Mateo: “How about Hotel Tansvania, papi?”

Pedri chuckled, knowing exactly which movie Mateo was referring to.

Pedri: “You want to watch the one with the friendly monsters, right?”

Mateo nodded eagerly.

Mateo: “Yes, that one! Tans….Vania!!”

Y/N couldn’t help but smile at their interaction. It was heartwarming to see the ease with which Pedri and Mateo connected.

Y/N: “Sounds like a great choice, Mateo.”

Pedri took the remote control and began the movie. The funny and cute characters from Hotel Transylvania appeared on the screen, and Mateo was really focused on it. Y/N and Pedri exchanged looks and smiled as they saw how much Mateo was enjoying the characters' funny actions.

As the movie progressed, the rain outside began to subside, leaving behind a calm and peaceful ambiance. The room was filled with the soft glow of the television and the comforting aroma of the tea.

Y/N leaned back, feeling really relaxed. Even though the evening started with rain, she was happy about how things turned out, giving them a chance to enjoy this cozy time together as a family.

Pedri glanced at Y/N, his voice gentle.

Pedri: “I’m glad you stayed, Y/N.”

Y/N smiled warmly.

Y/N: “Me too, Pedri. This has been really nice.”

Mateo, sensing the harmony in the room, leaned against Y/N, his small hand finding hers.

Mateo: “I like when we’re all together.”

Pedri : “Me too, baby, Papi loves being together with you and Mami right here”

As the movie continued to captivate Mateo's attention, Y/N saw an opportunity to slip away and make some popcorn in the kitchen. She stood up quietly and glanced at Pedri, who seemed to be engrossed in the movie as well. With a smile, she mouthed "popcorn" to him before making her way to the kitchen.

Pedri, noticing Y/N's departure, felt a spark of curiosity. He decided to follow her, wanting to enjoy a brief moment alone with her away from Mateo's watchful eyes.

In the kitchen, Y/N began to prepare the popcorn, the sound of kernels popping in the microwave. The warm, buttery aroma filled the air, creating a cozy atmosphere. Just as she was about to take the popcorn out, she sensed Pedri's presence behind her.

Pedri leaned against the doorway, a playful glint in his eyes.

Pedri: "Ah, the popcorn maker is hard at work."

Y/N turned around, a smile tugging at her lips.

Y/N: "Well, someone's got to keep the movie snacks coming."

Pedri grinned, stepping closer.

Pedri: "And what about the chef herself? You need a taste tester?"

Y/N chuckled, her gaze meeting his.

Y/N: "I think I can handle that part."

Pedri continued to be playful as he got closer to her, his voice sounding a bit teasing.

Pedri: "Hmm, but I have a more important question."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Y/N: "Oh, and what's that?"

Pedri's expression turned mischievous.

Pedri: "No bra, huh?"

Y/N's cheeks flushed with a mixture of surprise and embarrassment, and she playfully swatted his arm.

Y/N: "Pedri, stop!"

Pedri burst into laughter,

Pedri: "Got you there, didn't I?"

Y/N shook her head, a grin forming despite her embarrassment.

Y/N: "You're unbelievable."

Pedri's laughter subsided, leaving a warm smile on his face.

Pedri: "I couldn't resist. It's not often I catch you off guard."

Y/N crossed her arms playfully, her tone light.

Y/N: "Well, consider your mission accomplished."

Pedri's gaze softened as he looked at her, his voice sincere.

Pedri: "You know, Y/N, even after everything, it's moments like these that make me realize how much I miss our banter."

Y/N's heart warmed at his words, a mixture of nostalgia and fondness sweeping over her.

Y/N: "I've missed it too, Pedri."

As the scent of freshly popped popcorn filled the air, Y/N and Pedri found themselves drawn into a moment of quiet intimacy. Pedri's eyes held a mixture of longing and vulnerability, and in that fleeting instant, he leaned in, his intentions clear.

Pedri's lips were mere inches away from Y/N's, but before the moment could fully materialize, she gently placed a hand on his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

Y/N's voice was soft, but determined.

Y/N: "Pedri, please... no."

Pedri's expression shifted from anticipation to a mixture of surprise and understanding. He took a step back, respecting her boundaries, though a hint of disappointment lingered in his gaze.

Pedri: "Y/N, I..."

Y/N held up her hand, her gaze unwavering.

Y/N: "Pedri, we can't do this. Not now."

Pedri's brows furrowed slightly as he tried to convey his feelings.

Pedri: "But why, Y/N? Why can't we try to..."

Y/N's voice remained steady, even as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.

Y/N: "I know you want to, Pedri, but we can't afford to forget what happened before. We can't risk failing again and breaking Mateo's heart."

Pedri sighed, a mix of frustration and understanding evident in his expression.

Pedri: "I don't want to hurt Mateo, I promise you that. But can't we at least consider..."

Y/N shook her head, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Y/N: "Pedri, I'm not saying this because I want to hurt you. I'm saying it because I care about Mateo too much to put him through another disappointment. We have to be responsible, for his sake."

Pedri's gaze softened as he watched the conflict in Y/N's eyes.

Pedri: "Y/N, I care about Mateo just as much as you do. And I care about you."

Y/N's heart ached at his words, but she remained resolute.

Y/N: "I know you do, Pedri. But we can't let our feelings blind us to the reality of our situation. We've tried before, and it didn't work out. I don't want Mateo to experience that pain again."

Pedri nodded, his shoulders sagging with a mix of acceptance and resignation.

Pedri: "You're right, Y/N. I don't want to hurt him either."

Y/N reached out and placed her hand on Pedri's arm, her touch gentle and reassuring.

Y/N: "We'll find a way to navigate this, Pedri. We'll continue to be there for Mateo as co-parents, and we'll create the best environment for him."

Pedri looked at her, gratitude evident in his gaze.

Pedri: "Thank you for understanding, Y/N."

Y/N managed a small smile, her heart heavy with the weight of their shared responsibility.

Y/N: "It's what's best for all of us."

As Pedri and Y/N reentered the living room, their conversation weighed on Pedri's mind, leaving him with a sense of melancholy. His thoughts were momentarily interrupted when he felt a small hand tugging at his shirt.

Mateo looked up at Pedri, his wide eyes filled with concern.

Mateo: "Papi, why do you look sad? Did you got scold by mami?"

Pedri managed a small smile for Mateo's sake, but the sadness still lingered in his eyes.

Pedri: "Oh, no, buddy. Mami didn't scold me. I'm just thinking about something."

Mateo's brow furrowed as he continued to study Pedri's expression.

Mateo: "Is it about the movie? Did something in the movie make you sad?"

Pedri chuckled softly, touched by Mateo's empathy.

Pedri: "No, it's not the movie, little man. It's just... grown-up stuff."

Mateo's concern didn't waver, and he tilted his head to the side, his expression curious.

Mateo: "Grown-up stuff? Like what?"

Y/N watched the interaction between father and son, her heart swelling with both pride and tenderness.

Pedri crouched down to be at eye level with Mateo, his voice gentle.

Pedri: "Well, you know, sometimes grown-ups have things to figure out, just like you have to figure out puzzles or games."

Mateo's expression brightened, and he nodded in understanding.

Mateo: "Oh, I get it! Like when I can't find the right piece for my puzzle."

Pedri smiled, ruffling Mateo's hair affectionately.

Pedri: "Exactly, buddy. We're just trying to find the right pieces for our puzzle."

Mateo seemed satisfied with the explanation, and he grinned up at Pedri.

Mateo: "Well, I hope you find all the pieces,Papi!"

Pedri's smile grew, his heart warmed by Mateo's innocent optimism.

Pedri: "Thank you, champ. I'll do my best."

Y/N couldn't help but feel a rush of emotions as she watched Pedri and Mateo interact.

While the movie kept playing, Mateo fell asleep with his Spider-Man blanket. Y/N got sleepy too and dozed off on the couch.

Seeing them like that, Pedri felt happy inside. He made sure Mateo was covered and then turned his attention to Y/N.

He found a new blanket and gently put it over her, making sure she was comfy and warm. Looking at her sleeping peacefully, he smiled softly.

“Time for bed, lil buddy,” Pedri whispered gently, his voice filled with warmth and tenderness. With a soft smile, he carefully lifted Mateo into his arms, feeling the weight of his slumbering son against his chest.

As he made his way to Mateo’s room, the soft light in the hallway cast a cozy ambiance. Pedri’s steps were slow and deliberate, his focus solely on ensuring that Mateo’s transition from the couch to his bed would be seamless and comfortable.

Pedri went into Mateo's room, being careful as he approached the bed. He gently put Mateo down on the soft sheets and made sure the pillows were comfy for his head.

He covered Mateo with the blankets, making sure he was all cozy. Seeing Mateo sleep so peacefully made Pedri feel really happy. He gave Mateo a sweet kiss on his forehead.

Standing up, Pedri looked at Mateo once more with a smile full of love. He left the door a bit open, knowing that his son was safe and comfortable, drifting off into dreams.

Returning to the living room, Pedri’s steps were gentle as he approached Y/N. He leaned down, his voice a soft whisper filled with concern.

“Hey,” he said, his words a tender invitation. “You should sleep in a bed, not on the couch.”

Y/N stirred slightly, her voice muffled as she mumbled a response.

“It’s fine,” she murmured, her sleepiness evident. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Pedri’s brow furrowed with a mixture of care and determination. He understood that Y/N was trying to be considerate, but he wanted her to be comfortable too.

He crouched down beside the couch, his voice soothing as he gently insisted.

“Y/N, you deserve a good night’s sleep in a bed. Come on, I’ll help you get to one.”

Y/N moved a little, her eyes half-open as she looked at Pedri. Her expression showed she was still a bit sleepy.

"I'm really fine, Pedri," she whispered.

Pedri’s eyes held a silent plea, his fingers lightly brushing against her arm.

“Please, Y/N,” he said softly. “Let me make sure you’re comfortable.”

“No, it’s okay, I don’t want to get up. I’m really sleepy and tired. I’ll be fine here…” Y/N murmured.

Pedri’s brows furrowed, his intention to ensure her comfort unwavering. He took a moment, considering her words, and then let out a gentle sigh.

“I understand you’re tired,” he began, his voice kind and patient. “But let me carry you to bed. You’ll sleep better there.”

He offered his hand once more, his eyes reflecting his genuine care for her well-being. There was a subtle insistence in his tone, a desire to make sure she was truly taken care of.

“C’mon,” he urged gently, his smile warm. “Let’s get you to bed.”

“Okay….” she relented softly, offering a small but appreciative smile.

Pedri held Y/N close, his arms encircling her in a tender embrace. Her arms rested gently over his neck, and she wrapped her leg around his waist. With her secure in his arms, he began walking towards the guest bedroom.

Amidst their journey to the bed, Y/N let out a soft, almost imperceptible whimper. Her head found its resting place on Pedri's neck, a small sigh escaping her. The intimacy of the moment, their closeness, stirred a mixture of emotions within her.

For Pedri, her actions conveyed a sense of vulnerability and trust that touched him deeply. Feeling her lay her head against his neck, he felt a surge of affection and connection that enveloped them both. It was a reminder of the bond they shared—a bond that could be felt even in the quietest of gestures.

As he continued towards the bed, Pedri's steps were slow and measured, his focus on ensuring Y/N's comfort.

Upon reaching the bed, he lowered her down with utmost care, making sure she was settled comfortably. Gently, he adjusted the pillows and blankets around her, making sure she was cozy. As he stood by the bed, he gently pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. With a soft smile, he whispered, "Sleep well, Y/N."

As Pedri stood by the bed, ready to give Y/N some space to rest, a gentle tug on his finger surprised him. Looking down, he saw Y/N's fingers intertwined with his, holding on as if not ready to let go.

Her soft voice broke the silence, urging him to stay. "Stay….." she whispered, her tone carrying a mixture of vulnerability and longing.

Pedri's heart skipped a beat, the depth of her request touching him profoundly. With a soft smile, he gently released his finger from her grasp. Without a moment's hesitation, he climbed onto the bed, his movements careful and deliberate.

Cuddled up beside her, Pedri's arms encircled Y/N, drawing her close to him. She nestled against his chest, her head finding its resting place just below his chin. The warmth of their embrace was like a cocoon of comfort, enveloping them both in a sense of intimacy that words couldn't fully capture.

The rhythm of their breaths seemed to sync, their heartbeats harmonizing as if they were two pieces of a puzzle coming together. The silence of the room was filled with a quiet tenderness, a language that only they understood.

Pedri pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Y/N's head, his actions conveying a depth of emotion that needed no words. Wrapped in each other's arms.

———————————————————-

In the quiet of the very early morning, around 4am, Y/N woke up suddenly because she heard Mateo crying. His voice filled the house, and he was calling for "papi" and "mami," sounding like he really needed them.

Instantly awake, Y/N’s heart raced with concern. She turned to Pedri, her touch gentle yet urgent as she pinched his arm.

“Pedri, wake up!” she exclaimed, her voice laced with worry. “Mateo’s looking for us!”

Pedri woke up and understood how serious it was. He nodded, quickly sitting up on the bed.

"We have to go to him," Pedri said, his voice showing that he felt the same urgency as Y/N.

They quickly got out of bed and hurried through the house, following the sound of Mateo’s calls.

When they got to Mateo, he had tears on his face and looked really upset. Y/N and Pedri didn't waste a moment – they hugged him tightly to make him feel better. Being close to them helped Mateo feel safe even though he was scared.

“Shh, baby, we’re here,” Y/N reassured him, her voice soft and soothing. “Papi and mami are right here. What's wrong, honey?" Y/N cooed, her voice a soothing balm. "Are you okay?"

Pedri knelt beside them, his presence a source of comfort. "Mateo, tell us what happened. Did you have a bad dream?"

In between his crying, Mateo was able to talk. "I had a bad dream," he said, his words showing how scared he was. "The monster from the movie came to me and wanted to eat me."

Y/N and Pedri exchanged a knowing glance, their hearts aching for their son's distress. Y/N's fingers brushed his cheek gently, her touch as soft as her words.

"Aw, baby, it's okay," she cooed softly. "Mami and Papi are here now. The monster won't do anything to you anymore."

Pedri leaned in, pressing a loving kiss to Mateo's forehead. "We'll keep you safe, little buddy."

"Can I sleep with both of you, Mami and Papi?"

Y/N and Pedri smiled warmly at each other. They both agreed with a strong and certain "Yes, of course, sweetheart."

Climbing into their bed, the three of them settled in, surrounded by a cocoon of love and comfort. As they snuggled up, Mateo’s worries started to go away, and the hug from his parents made him feel really warm inside.

"Goodnight, little one," Y/N whispered, her lips brushing against his forehead.



"Sleep well, Mateo," Pedri added, his voice a soothing lullaby.

#pedri x reader #pedri fanfic #imagine footballer #fc barcelona #pedri imagine #pedri gonzalez #pedri x you #pedri x y/n #footballer #pedrito #pedro gonzález lópez #pedro gonzalez #fc barca #visca el barça #pedri #pedri fluff #pedri one shot #pedri barça #pedri angst #football #barcelona spain #barcelona city

[a-d-nox]

I was wondering if you could do a simplified way to read a chart. like use an example chart and show where you start with and so on

how to read a chart: the planets' signs and houses

the most simple way to read a chart is to break things down by sign, planet, and house. its better to start with the basics then step it up to evaluating the aspects in a chart, degrees, house rulers, asteroids, etc. there is plenty more to look at but this is a starting point - if there is interest, i will continue the discussion in a series. i am going to do something that i have never done before and dissect my own chart in front of everyone who is reading this in the most non-biased way in which i am capable.

the ascendant

pisces: as we know, a pisces rising is a skilled chameleon. they are so skilled that they can vanish into their surroundings. it is uncommon for a pisces to stand out even though they can be thought of as beautiful. most people take them for granted - people don't often give them the recognition they deserve. and because they don't, a pisces rising will undervalue themselves. not that they really want tons of recognition and power - that can be too much for an aloof and dreamy pisces person. a pisces rising is likely to create a persona to present to others - they can very quickly lose their true self to it too...

sun

scorpio: its like a dramatic love story - sex appeal meets jealously and obsessiveness. scorpio suns are known for their depth, obsessive, and analytical thoughts. they, like sheldon cooper, "don't need sleep" they "need answers". they will take things to the extreme if they don't find the answers they seek. they seek insight and intimacy - they want everything they can get out of life. scorpios are natural chasers - persistent ones at that. they are a bit childish though because they want everything to themselves including their knowledge - they might even weaponize what they know to be cruel to those they feel wronged them.

8h: 8h sun people are deep people - they don't do fluffy stuff. they like things succinct and purposeful. often they are identified as know intuitives - i mean they have the ability, they just need to tap into it and use/control it. they often hunger for self-knowledge (stuff like shadow-work, psychology, astrology, philosophy, etc is attractive to them). introspection is an art form for them. they enjoy analyzing and obsessing over things like that. either a 8h sun is driven by sex OR money, growth, and power OR maybe all of the above.

moon

scorpio: they have a very deep well of emotional energy - they feel nothing halfway. they are easily provoked and can go 0 to 100 very quickly (they are prone to boiling over / experiencing sudden outbursts). every emotion is very pure/vivid. they can be harsh and even cruel in emotional situations... emotionally, they are possessive and tend assume that others around them don't have it as bad as they do. everything can be a comparison for them - if someone is upset over something, they will comment with something "worse" that they previously experienced. they are quick to respond/react - they aren't the type to think before responding when they are upset. though they are sensitive, they have great inner strength and have the power to overcome any difficult emotional situations.

8h: emotionality is like a sixth sense - these people are intuitively gifted; they can sense not only their own feelings but everyone else's around them too. they are often obsessive when they feel intensely like this, especially when they are romantic. trust to them is the most important part of any connection. they are naturally jealous and suspicious of others so when they can't trust someone to be honest with them, they won't be vulnerable at all - they become cold and stoic. their trust issues are next level and often need professional help to work through. security is important to them in all senses so monetary savings are of their interest too.

mercury

scorpio: these people are intuitive and are known for their intensity. they have the gift of being logical/rational and determined all at once - they make great sleuths and detectives. generally, they struggle to leave any stones unturned. they hunger for truth and honesty, thus they enjoy research and the search for such. there is a tendency to become obsessive with the hunt for truth and honesty. they are often more introverted and apathetic than those around them. they struggle to open up just as they struggle to find honesty/trustworthiness in those around them. they are intellectual individuals who are easily fascinated.

8h: pessimism and/or deep thoughts are real with this placement. they have a dark mind that might be best suited for philosophy (especially existentialism) and/or occultism. they are predisposed to being overwhelmed by their emotions and being overly sensitive. often they are overcome by fantastical thoughts due to their over active mind. they seek spiritual growth via research and exploring life's many mysteries.

venus

sagittarius: these people are warm, enthusiastic, and lively. they require their independence - feeling tied too one person can be suffocating to them, especially, if that one person only fills their sexual or intellectual needs. they require both to feel comfortable staying in a connection. even then they are likely to experience more than one great romance in their lifetime. their relationships are best built on friendship first.

9h: there is a great hunger for travel and experience when it comes to this person. they are extremely likely to fall in love with a foreign land or a foreigner. it is considered rare for them to never travel and to in the stay in the same place they were born life long. they are notably wise and philosophical people who have an idealistic view and opinion of the world around them. university is likely to be an enjoyable experience for them where they gain more than just bookish experience that impacts them life long.

mars

virgo: these are willing and hard workers. they have a lot of nervous energy and tend to want to keep their hands busy - they don't do well when there is nothing to do. it makes them edgy and tense. they require a steady routine and timetables. without such things they might lose motivation to get anything done and they likely feel pain bodily (they have a stomach ache, head ache, skin issues, etc). but when they have something to do they are patient and detailed with their work. if they lack self-confidence, their work could fail to come to fruition. too much attention to detail may lead to analysis paralysis.

7h: these people are passionate and are willing to work through anything in a connection. they do have the tendency to push their partners too much to the point where they push them away. their relationships are always with a sense of purpose and direction - they are unlikely to date without intentions of a long term connection. these partnerships are great for those that professionally work together as well - they tend to have a shared objective in that monetary matter.

jupiter

gemini: these people are knowledge starved. enough is never enough for them - they are intellectually restless. they could seem very scattered because they seek knowledge of all things. they need to be more consistent with their efforts if they wish to gain anything at all. these individuals are broad/open minded and tend to be very clever. they have a quick mind that critically thinks in the craftiest ways possible.

3h: these people feel a great need to exercise their mind, and they seek intellectual challenges. often they wish to share their opinions and they tend to impose them on to others (they frequently think their opinion is fact). they have excellent communication skills and a great sense of what is just and what is not. they are people of their word and that word is reliable. they love school and to learn - even when school ends for them, they will continue to seek education. they are restless people who need both mental and physical mobility.

saturn

taurus: these people are patient, careful, and cautious. they will persist despite suffering until they have or accomplish whatever it is they want. while they are typically kind they can however become mean and overly frugal. they are ambitious and often seek financial stability which can support their their lifestyle. they frequently will ask if they truly need something however. they are overly rigid and routine oriented. they grow to appreciate what is functional over what is beautiful.

3h: it is possible that this person hated school or didn't think they were good at it at some point. often, they triumph as time goes on however. they develop skills (and fill gaps in their education) to overcome obstacles they have in the educational sector and might even become first in their class or prominent in some other way. these people are sensible and practical - they tend to be cautious and conservative when it comes to their long-term plans.

uranus

aquarius: this generation is notably kind, friendly, and inclusive. they want everyone to feel comfortable and as though they belong and are supported. often everyone in the generation has a bit of a humanitarian streak. they wish to keep their independence in most every way. they can be a bit unpredictable, inventive, and original. they typically associate money as a means of charity to ease suffering in a practical way.

12h: these people feel the need to be charitable and make sacrifices for others. strangely, they have the tendency of doing so in a logical and unemotional/cool/detached way. they do so because of some subconscious belief/motivation. often, they will trying to understand what they do and why they do it using astrology, when they truly should leave it to the psychological professionals.

neptune

aquarius: i feel like this is why we are the way we are online as a generation. we can be hyper emotional one moment then cold and detached the next. we like to stand out yet we are followers of trends and prefer to blend in. we are sensitive and intuitive, yet uncomfortable with dependence and prefer a touch of logic.

11h: these people tend to have a lively social life that keeps them busy, however, they might not have the best circle of friends. their friends might take them in, only to use them. their caring nature is often used. they enjoy helping others. they aren't fans of having lots of responsibilities. they might be very worried or concerned when having such - heavy expectations cause them too much stress.

pluto

sagittarius: this group of people is in a mental tug-of-war. they are open but secretive. they seek independence yet are possessive. they are fun loving yet prefer intimacy and intensity. often, this combo appears to me like a purge moment - get all the terrible energy out every once and awhile and be civil the next period of time. we are the people of the revolution; we see it in how we stand up to political powers and fight for our rights. we do what we do because we are wise and know that all people deserve freedom and autonomy.

9h: this is a compulsive studier who loves a mental challenge. it doesn't matter how advanced the topic is, they desire it. often to the point of mental strain. they desire intellectual perfection - this is their downfall as they force themselves to the extreme and only become unhappy with their progress and frustrated with themselves. they frequently give up and walk away in a dramatic fashion to their detriment. apart from that, i recommend that they visit a country apart from their own as they are likely to gain significant experience and knowledge in a foreign place apart from the one they already know.

the midheaven

sagittarius: to an outsider they appear excited and enthusiastic to just exist in a space. people might see them as risk takers. they are boisterous to those that watch them - they are charming, flirty, and quite funny. but they need to be careful their charm and flirtiness can attract the wrong people or cause them to assume the wrong instincts. not everyone finds the jokes that are made funny - some find them insulting. they can also seem flighty and like they do too much at once. it is important that they read the fine print of any public or high up position that they take.

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#astrology #astro community #astro placements #astro chart #natal chart #astrology tumblr #astrology chart #natal astrology #astrology readings #astro notes #astro observations #astroblr #scorpio sun #scorpio moon #scorpio mercury #sagittarius venus #virgo mars #gemini jupiter #taurus saturn #aquarius neptune #aquarius uranus #sagittarius pluto #sagittarius midheaven #pisces rising #8h sun #8h moon #8h mercury #9h venus #7h mars #3h jupiter

[optimisticstudentangel]

Studying with side characters to an upcoming exams

I am inactive right now because of the exams, so yeah.

Diavolo

Preparation with Diavolo is always fast and fun. With him, you can easily forget about the transience of time. It’s all because you will not get bored in his company even during boring studying.

- Hmm, I think you made a mistake here, - Diavolo pointed his finger at your answer. He took your hand and started writing over your mistake. His hands were big and firm, from such close contact, you blushed. "I hope Diavolo doesn't notice my red cheeks," you thought to yourself. To hide the fact that you blushed, you decided to turn your head a little so that the Devil wouldn't see your face.

- MC? Everything is fine? The demon asked worringly.

- Yeah, it's okay. I'm just a little tired of the work I've done," you said.

"Oh, then let's get some rest," Diavolo suggested. "I am gonna be honest, I myself began to feel tired. Maybe we'll have a snack, food surely will give us some energy to continue our studies," said the demon.

"That's a great idea," you agreed with him. "Maybe food will distract me from embarrassment. I can't concentrate on preparation when all my thoughts are about Diavolo," you thought to yourself.

Before you were going to have a snack, Diavolo stopped you. "Is something wrong?" you asked.

Diavolo came closer to you and patted you on the shoulder. "Great job, MC, I'm proud of you!" he smiled.

- How damn cute he is... - you thought. Well, I suppose the thoughts about Diavolo will only get worse.

Barbatos

It would seem that preparing for exams with a butler is like signing a contract on your own death on your own initiative. Very stupid and masochistic. But it's not that scary. Perhaps because you are his favorite, Barbatos is not as cruel as, for example, with the demon brothers. You've seen a couple of times what a butler is capable of in a bad mood, so annoying him is not an option.

- MC, I had to cancel some tasks directly related to Diavolo. I hope you understand the responsibility and importance of our preparation for exams with you? Please don't disappoint me," the demon said with a smile. After the words he said, goosebumps ran through you.

You looked through the materials of those lessons with which you did not understand. The demon explained topics that were hard for you, which you could not grasp in any way.

- Well, I've told you everything you need to know. Now let's check how well you listened to me," the butler said. "If you can answer all the questions correctly, you will receive a reward from me"

- Okay – you agreed.

The butler asked you a lot of questions. You tried to give an answer to each of them, to the best of your abilities.

- Hmm... - Barbatos drawled. Judging by his expression, he wasn't particularly happy about your situation. "Well, I think it's satisfactory for today," he barely managed to say.

- So there will be no reward? – you said jokingly.

The demon sighed wearily. "Okay, since you did your best, I think we can pamper you a little," the demon kissed you on the cheek. "It's not enough," you muttered. Barbatos chuckled because of your insolence. "Get a better result, then you will get your reward. Consider it your motivation to try" - Then get ready, because next time I will get not only a kiss," you threatened.

Luke

Getting ready with Luke wasn't really easy. It took you a lot of work yourself to learn the material at least a little. And explain it to Luke? But despite the difficulties, you wanted to help the angel so that he could pass the exam at least for the average score.

- MC, I'm tired. I can't take it anymore," the angel began to complain. At such moments, he strongly reminded you of a small child, which he really is.

- Okay, Luke, do you want to move a little? Exercise and walking have a good effect on our brain, after any movement, it becomes easier for the brain to remember information," you explained. And Luke happily agreed.

After you walked in the park, which was near the hall of purgatory, you asked Luke if he was ready to continue. However, Luke shook his head, and his face transformed into a sour expression.

"No, it won't work that way," you thought to yourself. Even though you understood Luke's strong reluctance not to prepare, you still had to play dirty. "Luke, do you know Michael recently asked how you are doing with your studies" - the pupils of his eyes have become larger.

"R-Really?" Luke asked.

"Yeah," you confirmed.

The angel drooped, but he himself offered to continue preparing for the exam. Still, the boy did not want to lose face in front of Michael. After both of you worked hard, you invited Angel to go with you to eat a sweet cake in a cafe so that Luke would be happy. The angel became happy again and agreed.

Simeon

It wasn't the first time you've asked for help about studying with Simeon. Being an angel, Simeon skillfully possessed a lot of knowledge about the Devildom, which always amazed you. He was like a mini encyclopedia that could easily explain you topics that you didn't understand.

- Here's a test assignment for you, little lamb. I'll give you 20 minutes, I hope that's enough? After that, we will analyze your mistakes and focus on those moments where you have questions, okay? angel asked.

- God bless you, Simeon. What would I do without you," you thanked your savior.

"Heheh, I'm just glad I was helpful," Simeon said, embarrassed.

You have done test tasks several times, each time your mistakes became less and less. After the next test, you exhaled wearily and lay down on the bed.

- You must be tired, little lamb? Let me give you a massage so you could relax ," the angel suggested. You gladly agreed and lay down on your stomach to give Simeon your back. His hands expertly massaged your body, pressing on the places where you need and easing the friction in your sensitive areas. Because of his magic hands, you began to fall asleep, the angel, having learned this, began to massage your skin more slowly so that you could finally fall asleep. As soon as you fell asleep, Simeon passed his hand over your cheek and said: "You're so cute in a sleepy state." The angel put away all your books and papers and put them in your bag.

Solomon

Preparing with Solomon was something between fun and peculiar kind of activity. He always liked to study Devildom lessons in depth, so don't think you can fool around while he seriously explains something to you. At times, Solomon acts as your demanding teacher, who is ready to force you to redo the work so many times until he is satisfied with you.

- Solomon, I've already said this spell thousand times, can it be enough already? – you said plaintively.

- Oh no, don't exaggerate, it's only 23 times. Besides, are you going to behave the same way in the exam? Don't forget, my dear student, you can't let me down. So get ready and cast the spell again," the sorcerer ordered.

After you honed the spell to perfection, Solomon offered to cook you something. "Oh, no, no, Solomon! Of course I'm grateful, but I don't think I have the strength to eat anything at the moment," you quickly got your bearings.

- what? What a pity, but I wanted to please you. Then tell me what should I do for you to make you feel better," Solomon asked.

- Just spend some time with me in a hug, I think that will be more than enough, - you said.

Solomon agreed. He picked you up and carried you to his bed as if you were newlyweds. He gently laid you on a soft mattress, covering you with a pleasant-to-touch blanket. Then he lay down next to you, pressing you against his warm body. You hugged each other, it really relaxed you, making you forget about your long preparation for the exam.

#obey me #obey me scenarios #obey me fanfic #obey me side characters #obey me diavolo #obey me barbatos #obey me luke #obey me simeon #obey me solomon #diavolo x reader #barbatos x reader #simeon x reader #solomon x reader #simeon cult

[the-bi-space-ace]

Hey so I just read your mini essay on the complexity of Crosshair’s beliefs and experiences with loyalty (rip my heart out, why don’t you), and I’m curious about your insights into Hunter’s personality, because out of all of them, he’s the most difficult for me to get a read on. Like, he cares about Omega and the squad, but do we actually see much of his personality beyond the caregiver?

To me he doesn’t show emotional clarity/steadfastness like Wrecker, or loyalty like Crosshair, or duty like Echo, and ambition like Tech. He generally takes things in quietly and seems to have become more indecisive as the show progresses (which makes sense cuz the batch suddenly went from a 100% success rate on missions to “everything that can go wrong does go wrong”). But I want to know Hunter better!! What are your thoughts and opinions?

Hi! I'm sorry it took me so long to reply. I just really wanted to think it through and post something in depth. I’m glad you read the Crosshair post (even if it did rip your heart out, I’m so sorry <3). To be completely honest with you I had no idea what to say about Hunter at first but I’ve given it a few days to think and I actually have a few things that I want to discuss.

Caveat that when I watch The Bad Batch I’m not usually focused on Hunter. Primarily because I just connect with the personalities of the rest of the batch more. There’s no problem with connecting with certain characters more than others, it is just personal preference 😊

Regardless, I have some thoughts, and I am genuinely so excited to talk about this after giving it a few days to think about what my full opinion is.

With the caveat in mind I have some opinions on Hunter that fuel my own viewpoint on his character and how I tend to write him in my own fanfics. To me Hunter has always been very… closed. Even in the Clone Wars he tends to stand back, be silent, only really speaking to give orders, question plans, or occasionally make fun of the rest of the 99. Despite the batch’s tendency to disregard orders and regulation (for better or for worse) Hunter has always thrived under direct understanding of where he stands. That’s why he works well with people like Cody and Rex. They give him clear… not exactly direction but something similar. He understands the rules. He knows how to break them. When the rules change with Order 66 he is thrust into something uncomfortable and instead of taking the problem and tackling it he just doesn’t do that. I am certainly not the first to point out that Hunter is avoidant. He always was.

He lets the batch get into fights and he doesn’t step in until he absolutely needs to. He doesn’t jump to defend immediately - typically, although there are exceptions.

(The way he defends Crosshair from Howzer in S3 E6 comes to mind. I’m still tossing that moment around as a repair attempt tbh. They’ve fought and hashed out some of the messy bits and now they are quietly proving to each other that they’re willing to patch things up.)

He lets his squad sort things out on their own and when it gets out of hand he’ll step in. Hell, I think the best example of this is actually when Rex punches Crosshair. Hunter never actually steps into that fight and I think it is partially because of this avoidant tendency. (The rest maybe because he knew Crosshair bit off more than he could chew and he was willing to let a swift right hook teach that lesson.) We actually see Wrecker step up to defend the squad more than Hunter does. This makes sense to me - Wrecker is big and intimidating and Crosshair and Tech tend to be mouthy. Hunter might be the sergeant of this squad but he certainly isn’t the sole protector nor should he be. (Hunter is still protective - the clones we meet tend to be - just not in the exact ways the rest of them are.)

This avoidance is why we see him ignore the Crosshair situation and latch onto giving Omega a normal life. I am not going to pretend that I like the way he ignores this situation but he reacted exactly how I expected him to. He was thrust into the unknown and without the proper rules he ended up throwing all of his attention onto one thing he felt like he could control. I’ve known plenty of people who do that. Hell, I’ve done that. That doesn’t mean it is the healthiest way to deal with pain or loss or grief. It’s a coping mechanism.

Once he’s sure it’s the chip controlling Crosshair he really latches onto this idea that if they just take the chip out then everything will be fine and dandy. In the same way that Crosshair latches onto this idea that if the batch just joins the empire that they can be whole again.

They’re both wrong.

You can tell he’s really internalized this idea of taking out the chip and everything fixing itself and when that dream is shattered he continues to disappear inside of himself. When things aren’t as simple as taking the chip out to bring Crosshair home he’s angry that suddenly this is more than just a simple fix and he doesn’t know where he stands anymore. There’s anger and hurt directed at him and the rest of the batch and he gets defensive because he thinks there shouldn’t be. He gets increasingly angry and much more confrontational than we’ve seen him be with Crosshair so far. Another worldview shattered, another chip in his already fragile armor, another reason to be fucking pissed. His anger at Crosshair finally pushed him into action, away from avoidance. Is it healthy? Still no. But none of them are really experts at coping. At least he’s letting it out. At least it is in the open. At least we are seeing his emotions bubble over onto the surface. That is what makes me personally interested. Those messy, painful, unhelpful emotions wreacking havoc and making things worse.

We see Hunter buckle down and let his anger fester. I think he continues to do that all the way through season 2 and his conflict with Echo isn’t helping. I have an entire post somewhere in my drafts about Echo and Hunter’s joint leadership but I’ll boil it down to a few points to focus them on Hunter.

Hunter needs a second in command especially now. He isn’t at his best as a leader and maybe that’s not really what the batch needs right now. The GAR is gone. Their lives are upside down. He needs support but he won’t ask for it - stubborn as hell he is. That’s why Echo really helps. I rewatched the seasons specifically to focus on Echo and I think we can see signs of his and Hunter’s joint leadership from the very beginning even before Hunter needs him for support. In a world of uncertainty you need someone to hold on to, someone to help make decisions. His conflict with Echo in season two is just making him more unsteady. The prospect of losing someone else and losing his voice of reason is wearing on him and it only gets worse as time goes on. Sure, he knows they can get by without Echo around but I don’t think he wants that. He was leaning on Echo and once they started disagreeing he realized that maybe he was going to either have to open himself up to relying on everyone else or close up again.

I’d wager that he chose the latter for the most part.

Hunter doesn’t like relying on others. He has this big idea in his head that he’s meant to be the one who has it down but… come on. None of us can do that. I’ve seen a lot of people compare Hunter to an oldest sibling and as the youngest of four I’m not sure I really have much insight into that particular notion but as the sibling who took on the greatest responsibilities in my home I feel this tug of responsibility to the detriment of yourself and others and I see you, Hunter. I see you and you need to stop.

Maybe that’s why I get so frustrated with Hunter in particular. I want him to grow out of this. I want him to change and develop and be angry and show his care more often. That’s part of why I loved S3 E5 so much. Hunter got fucking pissed. He was angry and he let it out and he shoved Crosshair and he showed just how badly he was hurt by everything. Fuck I love that. This is what I wanted to see. Finally he’s forgetting to keep it together and in front of Crosshair he is finally willing to lose his temper. Something really tells me that they used to lose their temper at each other because it was safe to. They clearly don’t know how to talk about their emotions and sort it out like many of us know or learn to - that will hopefully come with time and maturity - but they sure did know how to yell and use their strength against each other. So they fight. And they hurt each other. Then they make up and move forward because what else are they meant to do? They’re going to forgive each other. It’s how it always is - a given.

Hunter’s relationship to loyalty is not anywhere near the same as Crosshair’s but all of the batch end up having some relationship with it one way or another. There’s an excellent post floating around tumblr somewhere and I couldn’t find it to save my life (if you know what I’m talking about and can find the post feel free to link it somewhere) but it says something about how eventually the batch is going to embody the idea that they ‘don’t leave their own behind’ because they simply haven’t remained true to that sentiment yet - through lack of choice or active avoidance. They’ve repeated it a few times and yet the sentiment feels flat as they keep having to leave members of their squad behind or let them walk away themselves. Eventually they’re going to have to prove this sentiment and only then do I really think the show’s true theme can be accomplished.

I want to touch briefly on Hunter’s relationship to touch because I think it comes into play here (and it is admittedly one of my favorite things about him.) He uses touch a lot more than I think we give him credit for. Yes he’s closed off emotionally and he’s not great at talking but he does use touch a lot. He uses it with Echo for reassurance and as a factor to convince him of things often. A plan Echo doesn’t like? Shoulder touch. Echo is still new and Hunter is telling him he’ll get used to things? Shoulder touch. Saying goodbye, serious chat, acknowledging his worries? Touch touch touch. This man doesn’t always know how to use his words but he’s good at putting what he means into a physical reminder. What does the touch say? Loads of things. That he’s there, that what he is saying is not meant to hurt, that he’s pissed, that he’s listening. He does it with Wrecker and Omega and - thinking of their fight - Crosshair but I can’t actually think of an instance where he uses touch with Tech. I could have just missed it so let me know if there are scenes where he does this. He’s relied on physical reminders for so long that maybe words just… aren’t what he uses to communicate. You can feel the way his mood shifts when him and Echo are disagreeing by the way he moves him physically. It’s really those moments that I feel Hunter shines most because those moments are where he feels most open as a character - at least from my perspective.

I use his relationship to touch when I write him and, specifically, when that touch is rejected, what does that feel like for him? When I write him I look at it from a perspective of how he interacts with the world and what he thinks he can give to it. When his most comfortable form of communication - that shoulder touch we all tease about - is rejected and he can’t rely on that anymore what does that look like? Could just be the fact that I lean very heavily towards touch as a form of communication and repair but I focus on it a lot and it deserves a mention while talking about Hunter.

In truth, Hunter is hard for me. I see the avoidance, I see the anger, I see his pain, and yet I still have this feeling that I don’t really see him. What does Hunter really want? Because we’ve only ever seen him talk about what he wants to do for other people. But what motivates Hunter? We can say that it’s keeping his people safe or that it’s settling down or even just boil it down to Omega but what is actually under the surface there? For everyone else I can pretty much pinpoint what it is that motivates them but Hunter is a blank area for me. He says what motivates him but I am much more inclined to believe there is something else really eating at him underneath it all. I also want to suggest that maybe he hides behind doing things for other people to avoid feeling selfish. If he’s doing all of this to protect his squad then he’s not doing all of this because he wants to and it’s not a selfish decision. While I don’t think finding somewhere safe to settle down is selfish I get the feeling that maybe Hunter thinks it is for him specifically. Like he is not allowed to but maybe if it’s about everyone else then it’s fine. It’s always ‘Omega deserves better’ and ‘you betrayed us.’ Never ‘this is what I want and this is how I feel.’

Crosshair’s value system is very strict and at times harsh and unmoving. Echo has a sense of duty and protection that is strong enough to push him into action. Wrecker is motivated by the thrill of things but also by supporting his loved ones. Tech is curious and intelligent, seeking out new experiences and an interest in preservation. But what is Hunter’s motivation aside from ‘settle down’? That’s a goal, sure, but I’m not sure it’s really the right word to place on what he really wants deep down outside of what he wants for other people. I’m not sure I really know the answer to that question.

To make a long post even longer I’d like to see what Hunter wants when it is not connected to his service to other people. What is it that fuels him? Is it the serene calmness of safety that he craves? Being free from worry? Is it the freedom to make choices that he never would have gotten in the GAR? I’m almost inclined to say it’s a bit of everything but I still don’t really know and I would love to actually hear what people think the baseline motivator is for him personally.

#the bad batch #tbb hunter #tbb season 3 #tbb spoilers #sorry this is so long I had too much fun and got carried away

[adarkrainbow]

To explain a bit more the Bluebeard situation I talked about in my previous post:

Perrault always placed Moralities at the end of his fairytales (there was a strong influence of La Fontaine’s Fables, which Perrault adored, even if the two guys were on opposite sides of the Modern VS Ancient feud). And while some of his Moralities were “serious” and helped reconsider the fairytale in a different light (for example the Morality of “Little Red Riding Hood” makes explicit the sexual meaning of the tale and how the wolf is supposed to represent a predatory male seducer), others were very clearly parody of moralities, or rather little jokes added in the end (again, Perrault’s fairytales were supposed to be like dark comedies, horrific and funny at the same time). 

And the best example is Bluebeard. I don’t think I need to tell you the story, you all know it by now. What’s the Morality for Bluebeard? Given the nature of the story it might be “Don’t just marry a guy because he is rich, ESPECIALLY IF HE HAS TON OF MISSING WIVES”. Or it might be “Maybe if a guy has a blue-beard it is because THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM, RUN GIRL GIRL”. Nope, the Morality basically condemns curiosity as a very bad thing, and as the typical, archetypal vice of all women, that they should work to fix. In the context of the story this is clearly meant as a joke-morality, since this whole “Curiosity must be punished” is the very logic used by the serial killer-antagonist of the story (who ends up defeated in a shameful situation while the curious protagonist gets rewarded). It is clearly a joke...

... and yet many people read it first degree and bought into the whole idea that somehow Perrault was a total misogynist who used his stories to teach women to be docile beings accepting everything and never questioning anyone. These people clearly didn’t pay attention to the story, or have very little knowledge of who Perrault was.

What is made even worse is that when you read the rest of the Morality, it becomes clear it is all a joke... Because the Morality basically goes “Well, we can see this is a story that happened a LONG TIME AGO. A Bluebeard case couldn’t have happened today. Why? Because nowadays it is the women that are in charge of everything, and that are the boss of the house, and who terrorize their husbands into submission, and so Bluebeards would have been faced with some dragons of a wife in modern days.” I mean... Perrault is literaly mocking the people that go “Oh darn, where are the good old days where the men were in charge of everything in the house, and when women just shut up and did as they were told? Oh sure, this Bluebeard fella might have been a killer..; BUT AT LEAST HE WORE THE PANTS IN THE RELATIONSHIP! At least he had the natural order of things in his house, and if we had more people like him to punish those rebellious women, the world would have been better today.”

This is literaly Perrault mocking this mindset by parroting them in his dubious morality. A morality that is need to be seen as dubious since Bluebeard is - I think I need to insist - expressedly depicted as a ugly, terrifying, hard-hearted, brutal and savage serial killer that is ultimately a whimp easily defeated by actually brave and noble men. And I can’t stress enough how Perrault stood on the side of the “Moderns”, and was a fervent enemy of the “Ancients” and their glorification of the “ancient ways”... 

I know that, when I read the brief Perrault section Jack Zipes had placed in his book about fairytales, this was my main problem: he painted a very dark portrait of Perrault as a sort of brainwasher of women precisely because he read the stories first-degree and completely missed the jokes spread everywhere and how Perrault’s stories are fundamentaly ironic (I mean come on... in a society of absolutism where the king is everything and nobility a sacred thing, he wrote “Puss in Boots” that heralds as heroes a stupid miller son and a cunning cat who basically steal all the belongings of an ogre-lord and then fool a drunkard of a king, faking a nobility title till they make it... That’s definitively not supposed to be a first-degree story). Apparently Jack Zipes is excellent when he deals with other topics - the Brothers Grimm for example, or comparative fairytales as a whole - but he is part of those people that completely misread the whole “French fairytales” part of fairytale history. 

#fairytales #fairytale #charles perrault #perrault fairytales #bluebeard #irony #jokes #fairy tales #blue beard

[dipperdesperado]

What is Post-Growth?

Recently, I made a post about degrowth. The TLDR is that degrowth is an alternative economic model that focuses on a more holistic view of the world, where ecological and social sustainability is more important than growth for the sake of growth. It’s a mitigation tactic, that is more reactive in nature. It asks for a dramatic reduction in growth-economy activities. Post-growth, on the other hand, takes a broader look at solutions to current economic woes. I’ll explain post-growth and why it’s interesting while calling out specific differences to degrowth.

Post-growth takes a look at our current world and realizes that the importance of GDP as a metric for economic success leads to a sicker society. Economic recessions that negatively impact the working class, extreme climate realities, and lack of access to basic things needed for survival are all problems for the majority of people (and will only become more so as the situation worsens). By transitioning to a post-growth model, waste would be reduced, efficiency would be increased, and social and ecological sustainability would be promoted. Instead of constant consumerism, focusing on repurposing, upcycling, and reusing resources can reduce the damage done to the environment and improve the quality of life. A happy planet leads to happy people. Inherent to this shift in focus is a redistribution and restructuring of resource allocation. This change can not be made if access to resources is not made more equitable. This shares a lot of crossover with the approach degrowth takes.

One of the biggest areas for concern in the movement towards post-growth (or any different economic model) is the actual structural changes needed for it to happen. It’s not a question of ability; we have the technology, knowledge, and awareness to make the changes that we need to so that we can improve lives. There’s just a lot riding on upholding the status quo. Since post-growth necessarily asks for a lot of changes to the economic system, there’s going to be a lot of pushback. Not only this, but along with this new system, we’d have to design new metrics to ensure that it’s successful. If we continued to use GDP, for example, as our key metric, then a post-growth economy will appear to be "worse" than an infinite growth economy.

As I mentioned before, this process has a lot of similarities to degrowth. Both have a bent towards sustainability and social good and seek to shift paradigms from infinite growth to something that actually improves people’s lives. The biggest difference between the two models is that post-growth doesn’t see growth as necessarily bad; degrowth posits that there needs to be a massive reduction in economic growth and consumption to give us the best possibility for mitigating catastrophe. This isn’t to say that the two ideas are oppositional to one another; far from it. They just probably have different contexts in which they’ll be helpful.

Based on how much time we have left to prevent a level of catastrophe even worse than our current environmental issues, degrowth’s stronger positions on well…degrowth might be a good place to focus many of our efforts. Post-growth has a multitude of ways that it can exist, just like degrowth, but as a broader possibility space, it might not, by itself, lead to the changes that we need to make sure as many people are cared for in the coming years as possible. From my vantage point, the point of no return is upon us, and figuring out cunning ways to continue economic growth, even a little, is currently out of the question until we get a handle on things. By the time we find that equilibrium between growth and the planet, we’ll have to take more drastic measures since the planet will be all jacked up anyway.

This isn’t to say that post-growth doesn’t have a place. I think that it is easy when presented with systemic issues, to have very extreme, reactionary positions. We need to have the skill to know how to make decisive decisions that impact our planet and people in positive ways in the short term, while also not creating problems in the medium and long term. Post-growth’s flexibility allows for it to be a vehicle where we can think in a mode that isn’t binary. We could look at the good things that are currently happening more easily if we don’t discard the whole system.

So, while I lean more towards degrowth as our operational strategy to save ourselves, keeping post-growth in mind and understanding how we can employ strategies from both to reach our best outcome is ideal. I think that many of us can agree that we want to not only save a life but find ways to constantly improve them. Keeping our minds open and alert to exploring that possibility space will make its realization all the more likely.

#solarpunk #ecology #sustainable #ecofriendly #writers of tumblr #creative #politics #degrowth

[elistodragonwings]

Yes, stories can normalize things, for better or worse. Knowing something is fake doesn’t mean our subconscious won’t learn and internalize what we’re seeing. After all, horror films wouldn’t have the ability to scare us if our minds on some level didn’t respond to fiction as though it were real. It’s hard to imagine we don’t also unintentionally take in biases and other negative values.

But that process does not exist in a vacuum. People don’t mindlessly and passively have values normalized like by some magic force. Context matters – how something is presented, not just if it exists, combined with a person’s experience and knowledge determines what does and doesn’t get normalized.

Banning everything that might be bad won’t stop things from getting normalized because society can’t control what any individual person gets from a story in the first place. What society can and should do is teach people how to engage critically with stories and with their own perception.

We call out stories that are sexist or racist or ultra-violent or overly-explicit, we call out patterns of bias across a genre, we call out commonly negative depictions, not to ban them but to bring them to people’s attention. To get people to think about what it means that we’re telling stories like this, to discourage people from passively consuming media, to encourage creators to think differently about what they’re making. Because yes, media can normalize things, but it also is a reflection of the already-normalized values and blind spots of the culture creating it; trying separate this chicken-and-egg situation is impossible.

Even if everyone could agree on what stories are or aren’t harmful, no stories can be perfect because creators are not perfect. If you do manage to sanitize everything to the most uncontroversial state, you’re left with nothing that challenges people to grow.

More than that, you can’t both ban something AND teach people to think critically about that thing they’re not supposed to see. Harmful things will always exist, but if people don’t know how to recognize or engage with them, they’re more likely to have it become normalized for them because they won’t know any better.

If you want to ban “bad” content rather than teach people how to analyze, then where’s the data? Where are the studies that say this top-down blanket approach is the best strategy? Where’s the research that shows that people who write violence are more likely to commit violence? Where’s the experts in social change and harm reduction that define what kinds of stories even are harmful? Or are you just looking for a shortcut, a simple authoritarian fix to a complicated social problem of why people do bad things? Because I promise you, no one is a pedophile or a rapist simply because they read about it in some books.

Stories can and are used to teach values. To TEACH values. To try to ban books and information in order to try to passively shape social values is completely backwards from how progress works. When a story truly no longer fits with contemporary values, it doesn’t need to be banned. It decreases in popularity on its own.

An example from my own life:

I loved the Dragonriders of Pern series in high school. Some were in my school library, some were in my regular library’s adult section, and some I bought. These books were written from 1969-early 2000s, and so unsurprisingly, some of the relationships depicted are, let’s say problematic. Some I recognized as not ok and some I did not. And yet none of those problematic depictions got normalized for me. What DID get normalized? The possibility of a society where gay men not only existed but had a respected place in society. Sure, looking back now, their depiction is…not great. But they were there and it was normal and fine. And that was important because nothing else did that for me until many years later.

Why did that stick and nothing else? Because I came to the series with progressive values, an open mind for different ways of thinking about people, a desire for stories that showed me something different, and an awareness that science fiction often is written as social commentary and imagining what could be. Someone who came to the books with different perspectives would have gotten something entirely different from it. Some might even find this too painful and harmful to read. Those are all legitimate reactions.

Should the series be banned for showing lack of consent? Gay stereotypes? The fact that gay men exist? That abortion in this world is simple and not a big deal? Because some people will find these books personally harmful or upsetting?

Or do we let the books exist, available, as we teach people to think about their values and how to analyze both stories and the world around them? As we let individuals decide for themselves what helps them and what hurts them?

#book bans #censorship #purity culture #critical thinking #education #social progress #elisto

[nrdmssgs]

Any advice in making a character

Oh, I`ve got so many, I actually had to restrain myself))

Be self-indulgent! This is the most important thing to do. If any of my further tips conflicts for you personally with this one - this must always win! The main purpose of your character is for you to have fun, to get a voice, to be able to talk about whatever is important to you! Pay no attention whatsoever to people accusing you of making Mary Sue or Bella Swan. It is ok to learn, make mistakes, make characters, that will make you cringe in a few years.

Make as much moodboards as you need! 5 pinterest boards for 1 character is ok, even great! Don't hesitate to make a full moodboard for their home, even if you are planning like 1 short scene in the house.

Moodboards are good not only for pictures! Feel free to add quotes, that remind you of your OC, make playlists for them, go to your favorite clothing online catalog and pick, what would they buy from it! I for example have a thing for scents and I make perfume moodboards for characters (just helps me to feel them better). I use Miro for multimedia moodboards, highly recommend it.

Try starting your character as an 'archetype'. What I like to do is to go to this page and take a test from a perspective of my character The results often help me understand, how would my character react to different people and manage different situations. There are different personality tests, you can use. I believe, this one is the most well known, but I find my first option more helping in writing.

Character 'growth' is not obliged to be something positive. Your character can always become a worse person and it is still a growth.

'Play' with your character constantly! Even if you made them for one short text - ask yourself questions about them every now and them! Would they pick the same type of cheese as you? What was their favorite music genre, when they were 10? And now? What was the most awkward date, they ever had? Dont be shy, use writing promts to come up with little stories about them. This all will give you an indepth understanding of your character.

One of my favorite games to play with my characters is '3 interviews'. I imagine my character taking part in: 1. a talk with a psychologist 2. a cross-examination in court 3. an interview with a journalist. These are 3 situations, that motivate the same person speak on very different topics and relive different emotions. So I like to just examine their behavior. You will be surprised, how many ideas this little game adds to your character.

Don't be shy to ask others to tell you about your character. Request little stories or headcannons about them. The goal here is not to have the same perspective on your OC as your friends do. The goal is to understand, how others see them and which detail (and why) work good or bad for you. There are some authors out there, that take requests and commissions for others OCs.

It is ok to make your characters look like an average person and it is absolutely ok to make them look incredibly beautiful. Don't force yourself to change anything in your OC just because their partner is very good-looking, or because some said to you, that such a beautiful person has no place in this fandom.

Give your OC friends, hobbies, interests outside their job and love-life. Please. You will be surprised, how useful it is to keep this emotional hideout for your character.

Killing your OCs parents is not the only way to make them move out of their parents house. (don't worry, I myself have 2 OCs, whose parents are dead).

Making your OC kill someone is not the end of your OC. Your readers wont start hating them.

The more power your character has - the less freedom they get. Life of a queen is planned to the minute, life of a peasant - endless pool of possibilities))

Watch video essays where therapists talk about different characters in popular culture! There are so many ideas, you can get there for your character. My favorite channel is cinema therapy they have so many wholesome, funny, serious vid on this topic!

By the way, never be afraid to borrow some ideas.

Wanna see a trick? Ok, I'll describe briefly a character to you and you will try to guess, who am I talking about. So our guy, a middle-aged man, lives in a depressing gray world, full of violence and indifference. He loses his job and escapes his constant suffering in fantasies, where he is famous, has his own show on TV, the audience loves him and even his favorite late night show host applauds him. But these are only his fantasies, when in reality nobody care about him except for his senior mom, who genuinely loves her son. Youre thinking something like "Arthur Fleck" or "Joker"? Well, I've just described you Rupert Pupkin, the main character of 1982 American comedy "The king of Comedy", which had a great impact on 2019 film Joker.

My message here: it is not bad to revisit your favorite stories and characters and let them form your OC.

Abandoning one OC and moving on to the next is not a betrayal. Having multiple OCs for one fandom is not an inability to concentrate. Your brain produces many ideas - it is ok to give yourself creative space.

Self insert can be fun and interesting. Just don't forget, that you are not obliged to insert yourself in one and only character - you can always give your thoughts and traits to multiple characters in the story!

Your character needs flaws, not because it is a shame to write somebody perfect. They need flaws, because that will actually help them navigate through their lives.

#nrdspeaks #nrdmssgs

[destinygoldenstar]

Characters Better Get Consequences Or Your Feedback Will Have Consequences

If your character faces consequences, I'll likely sympathize with them and want to see them succeed and/or get better.

But if your character doesn't face consequences and instead get awesome rewards, especially for their questionable behavior, I am not going to like them.

But it's more layered than that.

First, consequences can't just be 'something bad happened to them'.

A consequence is something that happens that the character does not want, that only happened BECAUSE of the character's actions. Had they done something different, this wouldn't have happened.

The Death of Uncle Ben for example is a consequence done right because it only happened because Peter didn't stop the criminal. (I know that's an obvious example, but there's a reason for that)

If something bad happens, but it's not the character's fault, it's not a consequence.

Second, that consequence needs to AFFECT the character.

They need to GROW from this consequence, realize what they did that resulted in it, and understand what they need to do to prevent that from ever happening again.

If they shrug it off like it's no big deal, it's not a consequence.

Third, suffering is not character development.

I already talked about this in a separate post. If your character's gonna suffer, there better be a reason for it besides 'I wanted to be edgy'.

Fourth, 'Not being good enough' is not a consequence either.

We've all been there! We've all been in situations where we're just powerless to do something. That's not our fault.

That's the only lesson a character can really learn from that situation. Either 'be good enough' (which is a toxic message in some contexts) or get more powerful. Which is just not realistic for people in real life.

This is why Ninjago Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitsu is my least favorite season of the show. "Aw! My fire power wasn't strong enough to save people from an ICE DRAGON WITH FORBIDDEN POWERS. I guess I'm gonna have to get more powerful out of nowhere in order to salvage that."

I'm not saying 'not being good enough' can't work, I'm saying it can't work as a consequence.

It CAN work if the character actually did something wrong in the situation, bit off more than they could chew, and their skills weren't enough to stop the consequence. But either you address that wrongdoing, or you just ignore the wrongdoing entirely and use the 'not good enough' card as an excuse for angst. Which I do not recommend cause that's lazy. (Yeah I rewatched that huntress show like I said I would and that's how I feel about Volume 9. It gets even more of a 'non consequence + awesome reward' when their idiocy is twisted into a positive at the end despite how little sense that makes. Sorry. I know you're disappointed in me.)

If your character faces these consequences for their wrong actions, and it affects them and they grow from it, then that character becomes very humanized and sympathetic, and the audience will start to like them and route for them to get better and earn success.

BUT, the opposite of this. If the character gets NO consequences, and is instead given an awesome reward. That's a big NO NO.

First, ignoring the consequence entirely.

Sounds like you're writing a villain. If you want to write a VILLAIN, then a great way to get your audience to hate them is to have them run around with their behavior and get no consequences whatsoever. They do something awful and get away with it, you got a great villain.

Not great if they're supposed to be your hero.

It is not a consequence if they don't acknowledge it as such.

It is even WORSE when the character actually does something F'd up. Something that very clearly is making things a whole lot worse, but they just don't address it as a problem at all.

Second, getting an awesome reward instead.

I just watched a Miraculous episode there the main character steals her crush's phone and hacks into it. Just to delete an embarrassing message.

No consequences. She doesn't get caught. She gets to go to the movies with the guy as an awesome reward.

Congrats writers! You just encouraged the audience that theft is okay!

Rewarding your character for bad actions is NOT going to make your audience think the character is cool.

They're gonna hate your character. Because that reward is very undeserved AND you're promoting negative behavior by doing that!

If I see a character I'm supposed to like commit breaking & entering, and they get rewarded for criminal activity, I will want to see them in jail.

Third, no deserved consequences is a bad excuse.

"But Golden! My character hasn't done anything wrong that's deserving of consequences ever!"

Sounds like you either wrote a boring story, or you're being an egotist.

It's unrealistic for people to 'have never done anything wrong ever'. Nobody can relate to that.

You need at least one flaw in your character that can result in a consequence. Otherwise your story will just be boring.

I know flat characters exist I'm not talking about that.

Consequences are a nature of life and stuff we can learn from and grow from. It's the same for characters too. It can make your character ten times more likeable if handled right.

#writing community #writing advice #writing #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writerscommunity #ao3 #ao3 writer #wattpad #wattpad writer

[theliterarywolf]

I think the worst thing about the whole welcome home situation is that it really brings to light 1. just how "commercialized" the perception around creative pursuits has become (it might not be the right word but I can't think of another one). like this isn't [insert random corporation]'s IP #67484934 but someone's own work they are still directly involved in and unaffiliated with any major company. and 2. somehow the basic concept of respecting boundaries has been lost not just on fanpol but some proshippers too it seems. "no nsfw of my original characters please" is a pretty reasonable boundary actually and if someone feels the need to do it anyways they should at least have the decency to keep it private and away from the og creator instead of mocking them for *checks notes* being so arrogant as to have one boundary on interacting with THEIR work that they were so kind as to share with others on the internet

"Just how "commercialized" the perception around creative pursuits has become"

No, that's it exactly and we can see this echoed and causing the trickle effect that has led to the current situation with art and creative media in general.

Look at how the concept of a good adaptation (books, games, comics, anime, etc) is a rarity and not the norm. It's because you have a bunch of talking-head studio-executives not seeing the IPs they're scrambling over as creations from individual groups and artists but just something to get eyes on a watered-down screen, milk for ad-revenue, and then repeat the process with another IP.

Look at how the Triple-A video game space has turned into less of a 'we want to create fresh new experiences and ideas' and more 'okay, let's get a skeleton crew to make enough of a game to justify DLC and live-services for a year or two... Okay, time to do the same thing over again!'

Look at NFTs and AI "art" and how, the only reason why those two things were able to rise to the plague they currently are is because you have this brain-dead portion of the population who refuse to see art as a practiced skill of human labor that should be paid for and appreciated as such but, instead, they just 'want something pretty to look at for a second before getting another something pretty to look at for a second before...' Ad-nauseum.

Two perfect recent examples of that last one: one dude who calls himself rapidly making 'better' art of Princess Peach when all he's doing is clicking on an AI and getting nightmare amalgamations that look worse than pre-Toy Story Pixar and one person who made a piece of Sonic fanart with a human fem!Sonic in the center but all the 'Sonics' around her looked more inbred than the Hapsburgs.

But, of course, even with actual artists pointing out 'hey, these look wonky/weird/bad', you have thousands of people who don't care. Why? Well, look back to a certain comment that people use to dunk on current Star Wars, Marvel, and other mainstream IPs:

'Don't ask questions; just consume product and then get excited for the next product'.

No one wants to think about the creators of their favored IPs anymore. They just want to be given the shiny new ball to treat (or mistreat) in any way they see fit for a while before dumping it to the wayside a month or so later to do it to something else. And if, heaven forbid, you get a creator who dares to want to have some matter of agency with how people engage with their creation, well...

'Why do you hate people having fun?'

'Well, I'm just going to do it anyway.'

'So... Anyway, these characters are now mine because the creator is obviously shitty and doesn't know them as well as I do'

And then

The Cycle

Repeats

Anew.

#long post

[hillbillyoracle]

Fawn isn’t “Good” Fight isn’t “Bad”

So something I’m pretty tired of in conversations about the nervous system and trauma reactions is that when it comes to Fawning, all I see is how hard that is on the person doing it and when it comes to Fighting, there’s very moralistic language that implies it’s always abusive in some way. So I want to challenge that. 

In general, the order goes Flight --> Fawn and/or Fight --> Freeze. You try to get away from the threat, then if you can’t you try to placate and/or fight off the threat, then finally if that won’t work, you freeze/play dead and try to feel the least amount of pain. The order can wind up being different based on personal histories. 

I say this to point out that Fawning actually occupies a similar function as fighting - repelling the threat. 

If you do something neutral and someone reacts with being defensive and seemingly ready to fight, you’re probably understandably taken off guard and wonder what the hell you’ve done. Maybe you even feel defensive yourself. If you do something neutral and someone reacts by trying to placate you as if you’re actively threatening them, you’re probably understandably taken off guard and might even feel as if you are being bad person in some way. 

The mental toll of being exposed to that again and again can be very psychologically damaging and can be just as ripe for psychological abuse as fighting can be. In my experience, the toll ca be much worse because fawning is afforded so much social cover. “Why would you partner feel the need to fawn that hard if you hadn’t done something wrong?” - because they are a traumatized individual not managing their trauma reactions in part because it affords them social coverage to control the situation in ways other reactions do not. 

Just ask anyone who grew up the child of a parent who defaults to fawning what it’s like to grow up feeling like you’re a villain or a bomb about to explode at any minute for even the most gentle pushback or requests. These are people who often wind up defaulting to freeze because even healthy attempts manage conflict are met with villainization. They often feel as if they have literally no options in the face of circumstances they find uncomfortable or threatening because all roads - fleeing, fighting, or healthy conflict methods - lead to being the bad guy. 

And it honestly freaks me out that I keep running across people who do not feel like they need to manage their fawning because of the social coverage it receives - “it’s hardest on me after all and I deserve it” followed by waves of reassurance. Fawning is just as ripe for manipulation as anything else - and is getting more common in spaces I inhabit as moderators and leaders continue to refuse to create space for productive open conflict. It becomes covert, passive aggressive, and socially subtle. 

Fawning is damaging and needs managed just as much as Fighting does. And whether you think one is “good” is a sign of your personal preference, not material reality of the reaction itself. I would prefer people Fight with me over any other trauma reaction. I’d rather have it out where neither of us has the ability to socially manipulate the other. But that preference doesn’t make my tendency to drop to fight - born out years of not being able to flee or socially placate - any better than any other reaction. It’s just a preference. .

Obviously, not all Fawning is manipulative. But just as obviously, not all Fighting is abusive. And allowing “Fighting is abusive always” to become the social norm in the spaces you inhabit means you just wind up rewarding one potentially damaging trauma reaction over another - not reduce them all together. 

So what do you do if you’re a leader in one of these spaces and you want to turn the tide? I recommend reading up on Fawning with examples. Start to keep an eye out for it. In the spaces in which you’re leading, be willing to call it out and - this is the most important - redirect the behavior into something productive. 

“It seems like this interaction is difficult for you. Could you perhaps make a request for the kind of assistance you need? If not, why don’t you take a moment to get regulated and then rejoin the conversation. Absolutely no hard feelings it happens to all of us at some point” 

People who are fawning not out of any attempt for social control might feel uncomfortable but usually will either request some reassurance that they haven’t royally fucked up or take a moment to get into a better headspace and be quieter upon rejoining. You can always circle back with them and give them some safe social interactions to help show the conflict has passed and there’s no harm done. The behavior usually starts to become extinguished (except during times of high stress) after a couple interactions like this. 

But for people who’ve become accustomed to fawning as a way of manipulating others to regard themselves in a certain way, this kind of redirect can be taken as an active threat. They will often switch and act as if you are the one being an aggressor in an attempt to get you to stand down. It’s hard but you’ve got to hold your ground. They might begin to get defensive and actively blame the other person in the interaction. They might use moralistic and social justice/identarian language to cloak their actions in some sort of legitimacy and redirect the intervention onto the other person. They’re used to being able to use leaders and the opinions of others to harm those they feel threatened by. 

I’ve often found folks like this will actually self select out of your group when they realize they cannot use you to alienate those they find harmful or they don’t receive the kind of reassurances they’re used to getting without having to ask for them outright but have a clear policy in place for how many warnings someone gets before they’re asked to leave/kicked out and just follow it as normal. 

In summary, all trauma reactions can cause harm to people other than you. None are inherently abusive and none are free from the ability to be used toward abusive ends.  All trauma reactions need managed.

#mental health #probably kind of a spicy take #but it needs talked about more #fawn-fight is the backbone of cancel culture #and I'm tired of it personally

[shadowmaat]

not immune to propaganda

It's always fascinating when someone says, for example, "I don't hate the Jedi because of Sith propaganda, I hate them because-" and then everything they say is basically Sith propaganda with maybe some Anakinstanism thrown in.

Look, no one is trying to say the Jedi were perfect, but while they had some flaws, they were still the good guys and accomplished a lot of good things.

I think one of the bigger issues people complain about (the Jedi being insular/disconnected from the larger universe) is less to do with hubris and more to do with political hamstringing in the wake of the Ruusan Reformation.

My admittedly imperfect understanding is that there are a lot of times when the Jedi want to help, but they have to go to the Senate first to get permission to do so. If they don't get permission they can't help (or at least not openly). The Senate has, primarily, always looked out for their own best interests. If helping a planet in distress doesn't have a political or monetary advantage, they aren't going to agree to the "expense" of sending Jedi out to help.

It isn't that the Jedi don't care or that they prefer the "safety" of the Temple, it's that they are legally forbidden from interfering. You want someone to blame for Jedi "indifference" to suffering, look to the Senate. Even before Palps was in charge it was a bad situation.

Could the Jedi have tried to fight it and get the laws changed? Probably. Would it have worked? Impossible to know, but I lean towards it not only not working, but making things worse. You just KNOW the more corrupt Senators would be grandstanding to the public about how "dangerous" the Jedi are and that their efforts to gain more autonomy would be a "threat" to the Republican way of life, etc.

"Why don't they just leave if they don't like it?" Well, why don't Americans who live in red states just leave? Why don't people in war-torn countries just leave? Maybe because it's a little more complicated than just packing a bag and walking away. Especially since in the Jedi's case the Republic would probably consider it an act of war.

I'm also tired of folks trotting out how Jedi "indoctrinate" children into their way of life. Like, yes, they do teach kids about the Jedi path and how to control their powers and to use them for good. Is that a bad thing? Would you claim that medical schools "indoctrinate" students into saving others and not causing them harm? C'mon.

It would probably help if we had stories about kids who grew up in the Temple and then headed off into the world without becoming Jedi. There's the various service corps, but those could still be considered under the Jedi umbrella. Anyway, just because we haven't heard stories about them doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Why does everything need to be filtered through a lens of negativity? Why do some folks always need to assume the worst about everything and everyone? That's hypothetical, BTW; I don't need to read a bunch of salty replies about how terrible the world is and all the bad things that have happened and are continuing to happen. That isn't the point.

Maybe the Jedi were getting fucked over long before the war ever started. Maybe they were doing the best they could with what they had. Maybe that wasn't enough to save themselves or the rest of the galaxy.

Stop believing the worst out of everyone when there is no evidence to support it.

#star wars discourse #fandom salt #yeah my opinions have changed over time #it's called GROWTH

[audrinawf]

How do I get my SP back? We've been together for years, and it's been months now since the breakup. I've been successful in manifesting other things like passing exams, revising grades, and attracting financial abundance for myself and my dad. I've even received overseas internship offers without even studying that much or working hard; I simply decide once that I have those, and then they got reflected in my 3D. However, this situation with my SP has to be quite challenging for me.

this is a common problem we all have. some people are better at manifesting one thing over the other.

I think you need to do a lot more shadow work / inner work to manifest a relationship cause it’s either that you have some subconscious beliefs about relationships or it’s your beliefs specific to your SP.

A few things you can do to figure out these subconscious beliefs :

analyze what kind of content you’re watching about relationships, what people are you following? are you following people on social media that hate men? Is your fyp filled with “men ain’t shit” content? cause the things we watch 57473 times a day become our reality even if we think we’re note subscribing to those beliefs.

what movies are you watching? I find 99% of the movies and tv series today just reiterate toxic beliefs about relationships.

how do you speak about relationships? I’ve been guilty of gossiping about relationship drama , like for example when a celebrity gets cheated in , the whole internet goes wild. I’ve been guilty of engaging in cheating drama. I realized that even if I was in a healthy relationship, it didn’t serve me to discuss other people’s misfortunes cause the more I did it the more I felt bad and then that turned to anxiety about my relationship.

So how do you speak about your SP? Do you keep talking about the past drama you had with your SO to your friends? I’m not judging you cause this is what I used to do. I used to retell the same story of how we broke up or how we fought multiple times cause I thought venting was good but I realized that I was just speaking the old story in to existence over and over again.

And I think society also created this mass hysteria and keeps us in a low vibration where we think all relationships are doomed and that we should all fear for our relationships.

there are good men out there, there are so many men out there who are loyal and want marriage and commitment. but whenever I go on TikTok for example all I see is this mass panic that men ain’t shit and that if Jay Z cheated on Beyoncé then we’re all doomed which then just reinforces the belief that if someone as pretty as Beyoncé gets cheated in than us uglies will as well as if cheating has anything to do with our beauty or worth. They want us to believe that cheating is just something inevitable that happens out of nowhere and that it can happen to anyone instead of just admitting that low quality men (despite how much money you have you can still be a man of low values) will cheat.

and most importantly, you can have it all. You can be a master at manifesting wealth and success and also a master at relationships. Perhaps you have some deep seated belief that you can’t have both? I’m not inside your brain so I don’t know what your beliefs are exactly.

For me personally I had to stop following a lot of creators that I looked up to cause they were successful but they had such horrible beliefs about relationships and men and I witnessed these people speak into existence a lot of negative things to their lives cause of it. And the more I watched their content the worse I felt over time.

#manifestation #law of assumption #law of consciousness #law of attraction #twin flame #loablr #loa success #loa affirmations #affirm and persist #neville goddard #the void state

[fiascophoenix]

Professors and Mental Health Response

TLDR on the bottom. TW for ablelist peers and mentions of mental health issues.

So, this semester I have a group project. It's my final class before I graduate in May this year. My group leader started to act ablelist towards me- calling my mental health issues and emergency surgery and PTSD and post-op depression "personal problems" even though I had letters from my Psychiatrist written to my professor to explain that I am struggling with day-to-day life so to excuse late assignments. My group leader criticized me for doing a "bad job" on a report I was expected to turn in Monday and said I was "sassing" her when I tried to explain that I literally just had surgery on Thursday before and came home Friday night.

I put up with it, trying to get my part of the work done alone, because when I tried to reach out for help in the group chat, I was ignored. And then after class one day, she insisted I get all my late work done in two days, which I tried to tell her it was my soft deadline and that four days was my hard deadline, since I needed to be kinder to myself due to my health becoming worse. She said no, two days and that was final. "We all have our personal problems."

I came up to a fellow student I know fairly well to ask what I should do in this kind of situation, knowing he also had disabilities. He immediately convinced me to talk to my professor. He helped me through that, and the professor promised to talk to my group leader the next day.

Cue a week later. I get an email from my professor, telling me he wanted a one-on-one meeting. My anxiety surged. Oh no...am I in trouble? Did my group leader lie and tell him I was being ridiculous?

But I was wrong. He told me he was so worried when he had heard how horrible I was referring to myself during our conversation the week before. That without mentioning my name, he talked to the university counselors for advice. I reassured him I have a therapist and psychiatrist working with me, and that my negative self-talk is a work in progress.

The point is guys, this is how all professors should react to alarming symptoms of mental health. My professor did everything right. He contacted professionals of the university without saying my name at first, immediately had a private meeting with me, and now is helping me by working with me on due dates and making sure my group members treat me fairly.

Once again guys, it's important to fight for the right to be treated fairly. You have a right to be treated like a human being and get the accommodations you need.

TLDR; My professor saw alarming mental health symptoms, and acted respectfully with professionals and is working with me to make sure I succeed. He is a great example of what should be expected.

I now have more hope in humanity.

#mental health #university professor #great professor #university student #university #student mental health #ablelist