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desert-fern · 8 months

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A Gun Amongst Daggers - Jake “Hangman” Seresin X Fem!Navy Seal Reader

Part 22: Reunion

Summary: When Jake meets a woman at the Hard Deck, the last thing he expects is for her to be a Navy Seal. And not just any Seal, the Commander of Seal Team 3. She’s beautiful, smart, dangerous, and everything about her just makes him want to get close. Her name? Bear. When the Seals need backup, Cyclone puts the Daggers on their radar and now, Jake has to work with Bear and her team, all the while trying to stay professional. Can he do it? Or will he end up falling for the Navy sniper and mission Commander?

* image by Ilaria Ubinati, found on Pinterest*

MINORS DO NOT ENGAGE! 18+ ONLY. MINORS & BLOGS WITH NO AGE/EMPTY BLOGS WILL BE BLOCKED.

Warnings: Bear gets a little existential, her team is amazing and supportive, really not much else imo

Word Count: 3.9k

Masterlist >> Part 21 >> Part 23

===

It had been nearly 5 months since Bear had left the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in order to meet with Admirals Will “Shark” Harris, Beau “Cyclone” Simpson, and Navy psychologist, Dr. Hazelwood. They had required her to take a mandatory leave effective immediately, weekly sessions with Dr. Hazelwood, and had barred her from engaging in discussions relating to the day to day operations of the US Navy and its members, as well as forbidding any contact with those directly involved in the investigation of what would be former Lieutenant Commander Colton “Hazard” Richards.

Needless to say, the third condition struck a nerve in the Commander. Her team was her family, as she had said numerous times, and in her mind, it was needlessly cruel. The rest of her orders she could understand. Hazard had been taken off the ship directly by NCIS agents along with the rest of his so-called team, and she knew that Bug, FAK, Daisy, Shrike, Jake and a few others would be crucial in building the case against these five. But that also meant she couldn’t talk to them until after they had finished up their parts for the agents and the prosecution.

She couldn’t talk to her family. Nor they to her, and it tore her heart to shreds.

But Bear just nodded, gritting her teeth in frustration. “Sirs, may I suggest a change to the conditions?”

Admiral Simpson looked surprised at her boldness, but her boss, Admiral Harris had expected this and motioned for her to continue regardless of the look on his colleague’s face. “You may, Commander.”

“I would like to request a psychologist not connected to the US Navy.” Bear’s tone was even, controlled. She knew what she needed and unfortunately this psychologist wouldn’t be it. “I mean no disrespect to you, ma’am. I have no doubt of your qualifications, but in order for me to be at the level I need to be, I require counseling from someone that isn’t going to sign off on me the second I show even a fraction of improvement.” This was a genuine concern. Bear knew that if they could slap an ‘all better’ on her file right now, then they would. However, for her sake, for the sake of her team, Bear had to be at her best and right now, she was far from it.

Harris raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “And who exactly is going to fill in for Dr. Hazelwood?” He had been caught off guard by Bear yet again. Both he and Cyclone had figured that Bear would want to be put back into the field as soon as possible. Neither one of them had considered this request as something that she would ever bring up.

“I’m sure that there are private psychologists who have been vetted by the Navy should this ever arise.” She met Cyclone’s gaze and held it, refusing to even entertain the idea of a compromise. Bear knew that she was damaged, that her experiences had broken something inside of her that couldn’t be fixed with three sessions and a bandaid. She needed help, and deep down, Bear knew that she would walk away from this life if she couldn’t get the help she needed. “This is one of those circumstances.”

Cyclone glanced at Shark before nodding. “We’ll see that that is done, Commander. And may I commend you for your professionalism at this time. It is a rare thing.”

Bear nodded in thanks, her jaw feeling like it had been wired shut. She shifted on her feet, ignoring the itchiness of a scab on her side while the Admirals talked at her, discussing item after item, barely taking more than a few seconds to ensure that the information was being absorbed. She had been in that office for far too long and her mind was nearly at its breaking point.

Now though, Bear sat on her couch, wrapped up in a blanket as she stared at the wall. Today’s session had left her emotionally drained and she wanted nothing more than to be with someone, to be near someone. She had gone home to Vermont almost immediately after her leave had been approved and spent two of the five months with her moms, both loving and hating the familiarity of it all.

She recognized the feeling as the same one that had hit her after her first deployment. Bear had gone home and the world had seemed different. The lush forests that she used to train in, the well-worn trails feeling foreign, the overall peaceful serenity unnerving. It was almost like she had stepped back into a life that wasn’t hers, a period of her history that had faded and been lost to time. She distantly remembered sobbing in her mother’s arms, the reason long forgotten to time, memory, and pain.

Since that time however, Bear had grown stronger and bolder, grown into who she was now. Rather, who she had been before Hazard and his goons tried to ascertain a command of their own. She knew that eventually the pain would heal, and thanks to Dr. Carter, her new psychologist vetted personally by Admiral Harris, Bear was well on her way to managing the nightmares, trauma, and the sting of betrayal brought in spades by Operation Hellfire.

So Bear sat, the silence filling her, bringing her a semblance of peace. She had recovered slowly; spending hours focusing on her breathing, going to the gym on nights that sleep eluded her, writing down what she could about her day, and just did her best to heal. She couldn’t recall the last time she had had so much time to do what she wanted and it was both scary and freeing.

The prosecution had finished with her main team three months after her leave had begun and Bear had cried after getting the email from Harris that she could chat with a few of her team, namely Fireball and Bug. The lawyers had wanted to spend longer talking to those who had been directly impacted by Hazard’s actions and those who had been crucial in putting together the evidence for them.

She had given her own initial testimony days after being put on leave, much to the anger of Admiral Harris who had demanded that his Commander be allowed time to recover from her ordeal. It had been difficult. She had barely been able to piece together sentences of her experience, the words getting lost in the fear and pain she had been through, but she had persevered. She pushed through it, tearing open the mental wounds she had spent weeks trying to heal and in her pain, her tears, Bear had found it within her to admonish the prosecutor who demanded answers. He had been stunned into silence from the force of her words as she stood shaking in front of him.

He had backed off. Given her time. He had requested time to speak with her again a month ago and she had felt ready, so Bear had finally worked through the apprehension and spoke with him, detailing what she could remember. He thanked her, offering his apologies for his brusque nature the first time they had met, and told Bear that he would call if he had any more questions.

And despite all obstacles against her, Bear was healing. Today’s session hadn’t made her burst into tears. It wasn’t much, but it was progress. Progress that she was immensely proud of. Bear had also heard from Dr. Carter that her mandatory leave was up soon, and that Cyclone and Shark wanted to meet with her in a few days.

She was ready. Bear was ready to see her team again, her family. Maybe if she impressed her bosses, they would let her train with her team. The mere thought had her smiling widely as she picked herself up from the couch and wandered into the kitchen to make dinner. It was nothing fancy, but Bear still found herself dancing as she cooked, the joy seeming to radiate off of her. “If only Jake were here,” she thought. “Then it would be perfect.”

===

The day of her meeting came quickly, and Bear had never been more excited to put her uniform on than today. It beat out the first time she had put it on by a mile and she didn’t quite know what to make of that. Each button fastened brought her closer to her goal: Harris and Simpson had to be convinced that she was better, that she wasn’t a risk.

Bear grabbed her backpack, keys, phone, and wallet and slipped out the front door of her house. The same house that had once stood out for being starkly unlived in, now seemed to blend in a little more. The flower beds were now full and blooming in colors they never had before, the lawn was clipped, and it looked like a home. With all the time on her hands, the work made her feel normal. It had been a source of peace for her while she recovered and it continuously made her grin as she drove the roads to the base.

The guard at the entrance to the base had shouted “Welcome home!” when she had rolled her window down and his enthusiasm made her laugh as she handed him her new ID.

“It’s good to be back.” Bear took back her card, waving to him as she drove into the base, parking as close as she could to the Admiral’s office and slowly made her way inside, passing colleagues and friends who each greeted her with smiles, handshakes and hugs.

“Commander. It’s good to see you.”

“Sirs.” Bear couldn’t help but grin a little as she saluted the two men before her. “It’s good to be back.”

“At ease, Commander.” Cyclone gestured for her to take a seat in front of him, eyes watching Bear as she did. “We received word from Dr. Carter that she feels you are ready to come back.”

“Yes Sir. I was informed of the same.” Bear shuffled in her chair, trying to get comfortable. The cold sterility of the meeting room they sat in never failed to make her uncomfortable and today was no different, especially when she was waiting desperately to see those whom she hadn’t seen in over five long months.

Admiral Harris glanced over at Bear. “And do you feel the same?” He could sense her eagerness to return to the job, his Commander was hardly subtle in that regard. Her love for her job and her people was something he hoped her successor would possess and from what he had seen from Bug, he knew that Team 3 was in phenomenal hands.

“I do. I don’t think I’m ready to be deployed immediately, but I feel ready to rejoin my team, to start training again.” Bear knew what she wanted from this meeting, and she could tell that the men across from her knew it too, but this was still a formality that they all had to go through.

“I see.”

And the conversation continued from there. By the end, the two Admirals had decided that while Bear still needed to pass a psychological exam by a Navy psychologist, she was essentially cleared to train again with her team.

It was like she was flying at their words. Bear knew that what they were saying was important, but she was too caught up in the excitement of being able to see and talk to her family again. It would be awhile before any legal action came down on the people who had hurt her with their plotting, but they hadn’t won. She was sitting here, in front of her bosses, paying just enough attention to their words so she wouldn’t miss anything important, while her heart was doing backflips at the thought of just seeing her people.

“Congratulations Commander. You will be reinstated shortly.” The amused voice of Admiral Harris cut through her thoughts. “Go and rendezvous with your team, Bear. They have been clamoring at the gates trying to see you. I believe Petty Officer Hamilton sounded the alarm that you were back.”

Bear smiled. “That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, Sir. He was all smiles when I arrived earlier.”

“He is the type to do so, Commander.” Cyclone was watching her carefully, amused by the humor in her voice. It was clear to him that Bear was ready to burst out of the room, so he dismissed her, nodding at her salute and watched Bear slip out the door. “Is she always like this, Harris?”

“Eager to get back to work? Yes. The type to tune us out? No, that’s likely from her not being able to help her team for the last five months.”

===

Bear raced out of the building, descending the stairs so fast she nearly fell down them. She closed the distance quickly, slowing to a walk as she quietly approached the empty training warehouse. Her heart was pounding, both from the exertion and because after five long months, she was oh so close to finally being near the people that had always had her back.

Her team was okay, definitely worried about her, but from the updates Fireball had been giving her over the last few weeks, Bear knew that they were alright. Bug was doing her best to keep their spirits up, and Bear couldn’t be more proud of Priya. She knew that her second would step up when needed and Priya did exactly that.

They had come together in her absence. Growing stronger as a team, they were all so excited that their boss, their friend, and to some, a maternal figure (not that they would ever say that to her face), was coming back to them.

And she was right outside the doors, listening intently to the cacophony of voices yelling over one another. Bear heard Bug shout over the noise, silencing most of the group, except for a few who kept chattering away excitedly. “Now! To the two newbies that joined us a few months ago, you only know me as your CO. You haven’t met Bear yet.” Bug stopped halfway through her sentence to swing her gaze over and stare down the new Seals. “And if you two would stop your yammering, maybe we can finish this up so you can meet her.”

“Sorry ma’am.”

“Yes ma’am.”

They both looked thoroughly chastised and Bug smiled. Her job had gotten a little easier as time had gone on. She still wished that Bear were here to help guide her, but Priya knew that this was the same way her commander had learned the job. Training wheels didn’t exist in the Navy and Bug was proud of just how much she had been able to do despite her hesitation.

“Good. Now,” she continued. Her smile had only grown wider as she felt the excitement of her colleagues grow with every passing moment. Everyone wanted to see Bear again, and thanks to Petty Officer Hamilton, the whole base knew that the Commander was back. “Bear is still in her meeting with the Air Boss and Admiral Harris, so did we have any questions about our training this week?”

A few hands were raised and Bug answered the questions as best she could. She was distracted and it had felt like time was crawling as she breezed through the last few questions, clarifying a few points and restating another four, much to her dismay. Bug had just asked if there were any remaining questions when a familiar voice echoed through the quiet room. “I have a question. What does a woman have to do to get a hug around here?”

“Bear!” The room erupted in chaos, Seals scrambling out of their seats to hug their Commander, pushing and shoving others out of the way to be the first to greet her. A cacophony of voices made Bug cringe at the volume and she caught the gazes of the other Lieutenants who had held back, letting their platoons hug their boss.

“Alright. Alright!” Bear yelled over the noise, her hands out in front of her. “I’m not running out on you guys. I will get to everyone, I promise.” The room immediately settled down, people shuffling out of Bear’s path as she walked up to the front of the room.

Bear had begun tearing up when the room exploded into shouts of joy. Her team was okay and the sheer weight of the emotions she had felt all week dissipated in a heartbeat. Each hug, handshake, and story shared seemed to lighten her heart in such a way that it felt like it was seconds from floating up, up, up into the sky to fly alongside the F-18s on base.

Each step towards Bug felt like miles. Bear had heard the endless praise of Priya since the moment she'd arrived back on base and it was comforting to know that she had chosen well. “Priya.”

“Bear.” And Bug was in her arms, holding her tight. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Bug.” She held the other woman for a moment longer, before letting go to wipe her tears. “You’ve done an incredible job with them. I couldn’t be more proud.”

A tearful thank you left Bug as she swiped at her tears, letting Bear turn to envelop F.A.K. into a tight squeeze. The medic mumbled something to their Commander, making her laugh despite her tears.

The rest of that morning and early afternoon was spent catching up, Bear found herself holding court as she answered question after question from her team, refusing to leave anything out. Her team weren’t children, they had all suffered from her disappearance and Bear felt that they deserved to know at least a fraction of what had plagued her over the long five months apart.

“… I did go home to Vermont,” Bear said, laughing when someone yelled out that a person couldn’t be from Vermont. “I’m serious. My moms live there, in a small town in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere.”

A few more adamant shouts had the room dissolving into giggles and for what felt like the millionth time that day, Bear felt a lightness that she hadn’t felt in a while. Not since the early days in Riyadh with Jake.

Jake. Where was he? Come to think of it, where were the Daggers? Bear hadn’t heard a word from any of them except Rooster one time when he stopped by to lend her a book. She had yet to give it back to him, and she would be lying if she said that was the only reason she wanted to see the pilots who had become a third family to her.

Sensing Bear’s distraction, Bug jumped in to dissuade the next few questions, sending the Seals off to lunch, while keeping a close eye on the suddenly pensive Bear. “Are you okay?”

Bear nodded. “I’m fine. Honestly. Just missing people.” She was trying for nonchalance, but from the look Priya gave her, it was clear that she had failed miserably.

“The Daggers have been away since Monday for a four day intensive at Lemoore,” Bug began, a knowing smile growing wider as the seconds passed. “I hear that they should be back sometime today or tomorrow.”

Bear hummed her acknowledgment and continued staring out through the open doors at the planes taking off in the distance. “It’s strange being back,” she said after a while.

“Good strange or bad strange?”

“Is it bad if I don’t know yet?”

Bug shook her head. “I don’t think so. I would probably feel the same in your shoes.”

“And I hope that you never have to be.” Bear’s tone was dark. A firm edge that forbade Bug from ever following her path to the woman she had become. “As long as I am in charge, you will never have to make the same choices I did in that desert.”

“You can’t promise that.” Bug’s tone was soft, almost like she was trying to talk Bear down.

Bear turned, meeting Priya’s gaze. “What I had to do…” she trailed off, shaking her head at the thought. “I will do whatever I can to make sure that none of you ever face the demons I did. I can promise that much.”

“Bear, what happened wasn’t your fault. None of us have ever blamed you.” There was now urgency in Bug’s voice, pleading with Bear to believe her. “Not a single one.”

“I know you don’t. Only one person deserves the blame.” The words felt foreign in her mouth, like they didn’t belong to her. And for the longest time, they hadn’t. Dr. Carter had spent months ensuring that Bear knew that she had nothing to be blamed for. These words belonged to Dr. Carter, not Bear. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I knew I could survive what I was dealt. That I did what I did so that none of you endured what I did.”

Bug was silent. Bear wouldn’t be swayed from this belief that her sacrifice was a good thing. To Bug, however, it wasn’t. The choice had been made, but Bug was still worried that Bear would make the same decision if the opportunity presented itself. So she hummed, gathering her thoughts. “We did get new equipment earlier this week, wanna see?”

Bear seemed to snap out of her melancholy, standing up. “New equipment? Hell yeah.”

“Come on then. We get to test it out for the first time later today.”

===

Hours later, Bear arrived home. Her body hurt, unused to the rigors of training after being away for so long. It had been a sobering realization, but she had known that she wouldn’t be at 100% from the start. She had to take it slow. Well, slower than previously thought.

But holy shit had it felt good to line up her shots, to watch bullets punch through paper targets, to help T-Pot and Zero find the sweet spot to take their shots. She felt useful again.

So now, sitting on her couch in her pajamas with a bowl of mac and cheese on her lap as she scrolled mindlessly through her phone, Bear was content. Today had been good, save for her one moment with Bug. But when she wrote about her day in the journal she had been given, for once it didn’t feel like she was condemning her actions.

Today was progress.

She was startled from her couch potato state by a knock at the door. Glancing at the time in the corner of her phone, Bear frowned. Who the hell could that be? It was late and while she had the weekend off, it didn’t make sense to have visitors.

Groaning, Bear unwrapped herself from her blanket and stood, her knees and ankles popping as she moved. She made her way over, her socked feet sliding over the wooden floor of her home, and opened the door to see Jake standing on her porch.

It was like all of the air had been punched out of her body as she gazed upon him. Even in the darkness outside, his figure illuminated by the single porch light, setting fire to gold in his blonde hair, resembling a crown, he was beautiful. He always had been beautiful, but now, after five long months, here he was in front of her and Bear was left speechless.

Back where they had first begun. When her feelings had become feelings. Jake on her porch, and Bear standing before him, one hand on the open door. Only this time, there was no pizza.

They stared at one another for a moment, before Bear managed a strangled “Jake.”

“Teddy.”

===

A/N: This cut-off is only because this would have been longer than the last one if I had kept this and the next part together. I’m done hurting people. I promise. @startrekfangirl2233 @sarahsmi13s @dakotakazansky, you guys are incredible.

Taglist: @horseshoegirl @roosters-girl @lovinglyeternal @lavenderbradshaw @roosterforme @bobby-r2d2-floyd @bradleybeachbabe @footprintsinthesxnd @twsssmlmaa @fandomxpreferences @dempy @gizmodear @fighterpilothoe @chaoticassidy @eli2447 @iwantmyredvelvetcupcake @djs8891 @rhirhikingston @sisterslytherinog @impossiblebagelcowboyfreak @sgt-barnesveins @taytaylala12 @urmom-999 @formulapierre @pinkpantheris @havlindzk @a-beaverhausen @killcomet @buxkybarnez @topgunruinedme @hangmanscoming @smoothdogsgirl @a-court-of-roscoe-and-baby

#fern writes #a gun amonst daggers #jake hangman seresin x reader #bear and hangman #jake seresin x reader #top gun maverick #jake seresin imagine #jake hangman imagine #jake hangman x reader #jake seresin x oc #jake seresin series

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soloorganaas · 2 years

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giving you two, you can do both or choose one: 1) what ship do you hate most? 2) rant about [pairing] for wolfstar - i want to hear what you don't agree with the fandom on about them

hehehehehehehehe

remadora. no explanation needed. whilst i'm here everyone who hates them too go read a grave mistake

ALRIGHT HERE WE FUCKING GO

atyd it's an incredible story, but it's not the ONLY story, and the way its characterisations have in so many fics and fanons replaced actual canon is infuriating. remus is portrayed as toxic, aggressive, manipulative and cruel; sirius is cowardly, manipulative, over-dramatic, emotionally immature and just plain stupid. this is either completely inaccurate based on the books, or an over-exaggeration of some of their canon traits. the interplay between their individual traumas is so so simplified to become two long decades of toxic miscommunication, and they're just plain mean to each other. if this was just one story, ya know, you take it or leave it like anything else. but the way these characterisations have been exaggerated or simplified even further from canon leads to characters that are literally unrecognisable. if its an AU, okay, they're always going to be different in different contexts. but if you're telling stories that are deliberately supposed to be based in canon, exploring those ideas, and then the characters are literally nothing like the books, then imo thats shitty writing. and the utter refusal of at least some fans (literally the entirety of fucking tiktok) to acknowledge this and produce better work is infuriating

so much of this fandom is mind-blowingly talented. jfc. i have improved my writing tenfold by reading wolfstar fic. so this sort of subsection irks me extra bc of that, when its ignoring the incredible work over the past two decades, and not least the amazing stories being published rn

the bimboification of sirius this is such a knock-on effect of atyd smh

sirius is dramatic as hell. my boy comes straight out of azkaban and his first instinct is to go approach harry late at night as a massive fucking black dog. he tries to kill peter by breaking into the gryffindor dorms and lunging over ron with a knife. he finds out harry's broom broke so he mail orders the most expensive broom on the market with the help of a fucking cat when he is literally a wanted criminal. he finally confronts harry by dragging his best friend through the whomping willow by a broken leg and then leans hardcore into the mass murderer vibes with slightly incoherent rants and attempts to kill a rat as his first intro to harry. he goes on the run on a famously dramatic and haughty horse/bird and spends a year in tropical islands and caves instead of just fucking apparating to his ex's house and hanging out there. his emotions go from 0-100 in 0.5 seconds and he would deck half the order if it wasn't for remus holding him back

i think its pretty safe to assume he was just as dramatic as a teen, albeit in a more cocky rich kid way than traumatised ex-convict way. i think its a fair characterisation that he would be overwhelmed by a gay life crisis and feelings for remus and handle it in a pretty dramatic way

but that doesn't mean, however, that he is (a) nothing but a drama queen and (b) a bimbo. he's dramatic, he's not stupid or shallow or whiny. he is one of the absolute smartest characters in the book, and is so committed to his principles and friends he'll literally die for them. he's incredibly competent and self-reliant, to the point of keeping himself alive for years on end in extremely harsh situations. he's generally either intensely focused on the task at hand or lost in his own head. he's not goddamn whiny, or dumb, or constantly desperate for the attention and validation of remus

remus getting irritated at sirius for being ✨too much✨ yeah honestly im gonna blame atyd for this one again but also the general ableist trait of mocking people for being A Lot when those people are most of the time neurodivergent-coded.

remus fucking adores sirius. this entire fandom is based on this premise lmao. in the books they respect each other so much - remus is the only one sirius listens to, sirius is the only one to whom remus will let his emotions show and be forthright with. remus never gets angry or annoyed with sirius just for feeling a lot - he is in fact the only person to validate him and back him up. he gets annoyed when he's being an ass

he would never be irritated at sirius for being passionate or unconstrained or letting his creativity run wild or spewing out whatever thoughts were in his mind or just being full of life and fire and enthusiasm and daring. considering the kind of person remus is and the dynamic in their relationship, those are the things he would LOVE about sirius. whilst being perfectly comfortable calling him out when they lead him to be annoying or rude or irresponsible

tl;dr sirius being extra doesn't make him the idiot butt of everyone's jokes and remus being reserved doesn't make him judgmental of sirius's larger personality

prongsfoot in wolfstar fics

james isn't just sirius's "best friend", their relationship is essential to who sirius is and the fact he can even become and emotionally open enough person to fall in love. he is just as important to sirius as remus is. i really dont think i've read many wolfstar fics (that delve deep into the characters, i dont mean fluffy/smutty oneshots etc) that show james as more than a 2D sidekick or how his friendship with sirius impacts sirius's relationship with remus. i can understand why the prongsfoot fandom gets so mad tbh lmao

#this is why it takes me 3-5 business days to answer them it's one question and i have a phd thesis #wolfstar #sirius black #remus lupin #atyd #hp meta #ch: we choose who we really are #otp: i'm mental about you #hp #anti remadora

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the-empress-7 · 3 months

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Ask BP, cause they seem convinced that Harry is still an asset.

Here's my take on this one: I don't think a single person there thinks H is an asset other than as a tool to get WK. Everyone knows that when W is King, his grandmother's way of business will be back, only this time, there won't be children and grandchildren to play these games. His children are being raised very carefully and thoughtfully, and anyone else wanting to play games will be dealt with immediately, imo. It will be his grandmother's stoic silence (i.e., stay away from the press) coupled with his grandfather's iron fist. Everyone making money and getting a drama rush off of this shitshow will be out of luck. And so they keep using H to try to get W's goat. I think they succeed at causing WK huge stress, but they aren't going to do W in.

I genuinely think that Charles/BP thinks Harry can help improve his father's image in many of the Commonwealth countries, especially the ones with majority non-caucasian populations. All because Harry married a biracial woman who thinks the Sun shines out of her ass.

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saintmeghanmarkle · 8 days

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Harry (finally) gets critiqued for his bad clothing choices on Twitter by u/leyonoga

Harry (finally) gets critiqued for his bad clothing choices on Twitter A pretty popular menswear writer on Twitter (derek guy, @ dieworkwear) critiqued Harry's choice of clothing, basically saying he's buying/wearing relatively cheap stuff for someone with his upbringing/background and resources. The first post has over 6K likes at the moment. Comments range from being supportive to Harry, agreeing with derek guy, blaming MM (her spending leaves little money for him) and claiming it's a strategy to make him come across as more 'accessible'.The poster, derek guy, often does great threads about menswear. Last week he compared Piers Morgan's 'style' to Kermit the Frog's side by side (and Piers made a sad little vid about it, clearly couldn't take the joke) and he often gives great advice about menswear, including how to dress well for less money and how/where clothing is supposed to fit and why. It's a shame there isn't a female equivalent of him (an actual expert who makes similar well-argued posts about womenswear, not just a random fashion blogger) to critique MM's clothing choices.Twitter post: \"Prince Harry seemingly has no interest in clothes and (reasonably) dislikes the trappings of monarchy. IMO, this shows through his clothing choices (machine-made pick stitching along the lapel reveals this is a mid-tier ready-to-wear jacket).\"Twitter post: \"But I wish he would wear a different silhouette. Many of his outfits would be improved by a wider lapel, a higher rise, and better shaping. Compare these two linen suits. Heavier fabric, better shaping and more classic proportions make the one on the right better, IMO\"Twitter post: \"To me, he seemingly has no interest in clothes. my guess is that this is a j crew suit. which is fine, but surprising for someone with his resources.\"https://twitter.com/dieworkwear/status/1789692172167770299 post link: https://ift.tt/YIMqKVW author: leyonoga submitted: May 13, 2024 at 08:04PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

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houseofbrat · 1 year

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1/2 Am going to throw this out there. Despite Charles' numerous engagements throughout the years, his popularity never improves. Despite William and Catherine's apparently "lazy" approach to ruling, their popularity is off the charts. I don't think it matters that William doesn't speak Welsh. I don't think that William and Catherine only put effort into the things they like. I think they put effort into the things that THEY feel are important. And, given the numbers, they may be right.

2/2 IMO, royal fans want the ribbon cutting events because they want to see what Catherine wears and William's blue suit. There is SO MUCH focus on what Catherine wears and can we have a state dinner so that we can see a tiara. I think that if you're in a town that was flooded, bone-chilling temps, or dealing with catastrophic heat for weeks on end (like a friend of mine), then the issue of climate change is real in Britain. Ribbon cutting is all good, but when your house just flooded...

..............................................................................................

Everyone who touts Will & Kate’s popularity very conveniently forgets that Charles was once very popular prior to the War of the Waleses. Randy Andy was also very popular once upon a time too. Harry was also far more popular than both Will & Kate not too long ago.

Popularity can fade. And their popularity will likely fade over the years; although, I suspect Kate will eventually be more popular than Will because she does royaling better than he does.

I think if anything, you’re forgetting all the visits that Will & Kate could be making during the cost of living crisis, but they’re not. Kate isn’t doing much more than a few engagements outside of The Royal Foundation. Somehow, I don’t see you mentioning how either Will or Kate has visited anyone recently who has endured flooding, “bone-chilling temps,” or “catastrophic heat.” (Also, I personally wouldn’t call any weather that the UK gets “bone-chilling.” I live somewhere where it regularly hits -35C or lower in the winter, and I know the UK hasn’t gotten anywhere that cold.)

Royal watchers/fans aren’t the core demographic the royals need to appeal to. It’s the general public. Most of the die-hard Will & Kate fans, such as yourself, who believe that Will & Kate will be eternally popular and that nothing will ever dent them. Yet, they could be making visits to people suffering outside of issues related to their foundation, except they choose to not do that.

Charles accomplished more at 40 than William had at 40. Charles was also popular at the age of 40, contrary to the belief of certain Will & Kate fans. However, once the UK media decides they have an angle on which to write about someone, they will, even if it isn’t true. For example, in Diana’s early years as a royal, she would mope like a sullen brat while at any engagement she didn’t like. The UK tabs would just write about how the poor princess looked like she missed her baby (William), instead of pointing out how petulant it was for a legal adult to be moping in public for an hour. (Because as we all know attending a garden flower show for one hour with beautiful flowers is akin to torture.) A beautiful woman missing her baby fit the story line they wanted to write, not petulant new royal.

William has also sulked at engagements, while over the age of 30, as @helenaaurellia pointed out.

I think there’s also a story about how they were at an engagement, and he was being a bit grumpy, refusing to smile, being curt and so on. Kate was being smiling and charming, then suddenly dragged him aside, seemed to speak rather sharply to him for a moment, then they came back to the group, only from then on both royals were smiling and being charming.

Her pointing that out wasn’t the first time I’ve heard of this. I’ve seen on more than one occasion DM commenters mention that they’ve seen William in person at engagements and that Kate is the one soothing him and keeping him calm. Some day there’s going to be a story about it when the UK tabs don’t have anything else to write about.

Charles can always find something interesting about the people he meets and the places he goes while doing royal engagements. William--for all his storied brains--isn’t smart enough to figure that out yet and keeps himself to his “interests.” William wants to live the life of his friends, the upper class Brits, not a royal, which is why William sucks as a royal.

#ask #The Workshy Waleses #The Perils of Popularity #William The Prince of Wales #Prince William #Catherine The Princess of Wales #Workshy Will #fleet street

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lonelier-version-of-you · 1 year

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Wow, what an episode tonight!! I think it was a great improvement over the previous episode’s Faith-centredness. It did quite well at introducing all the new characters, which I liked.

It’s absolutely wonderful to see Donna again!! She is, imo, the best character they could have chosen to cross over to Casualty. I’m very glad it’s her and not someone like Henrik (who I think is beyond saving as a character now, Holby fucked him over too much, all I want is for Casualty to say he left the hospital) or Fletch (who is extremely boring to me).

I hope she gets some good storylines now. Holby didn’t give her anywhere near enough stories in her second stint (although looking back... perhaps that was a blessing, because look at the stories other characters got - they weren’t good ones). Also, if Casualty give Donna a girlfriend, or just let her mention being bi, I’d love them forever.

Jaye Jacobs was great as ever, and Donna fits in to the department brilliantly. She didn’t have that much of a storyline in this ep, but they were trying to juggle her re-introduction (and introduction, for people who are only Casualty fans and may not remember or have seen her in previous crossovers) with the introduction of the four new nurses, so that’s understandable. It looks like she gets more to do in the next ep - including interaction with Dylan, which I’m excited for! Even seeing them in the same scene in this ep made me excited. As did Donna having a scene with Stevie. It’s great seeing her interact with all the Casualty icons.

I’ve been excited for the new nurses for months, and I very much enjoyed their first episode! I pretty much like all of them so far. Idk how I feel about Ryan, but he’s not as annoying as I worried he would be, at least (I thought he was going to be a lot more Harry Tressler-like than he seems). I’ll have to see more of him to have more of an opinion, though.

Jodie is probably my favourite so far. She just has this sort of energy about her that I enjoy. Anna Chell is great in the role so far.

I thought Jodie was going to be either an ex or a relative of Max - it turned out to be the latter. So, either she’s his daughter, or his stepdaughter! Either one is very interesting and gives a lot of storyline potential.

Cameron is very likeable. He reminds me a lot of Arthur Digby (at least Arthur in his first few episodes). Comparing him with Lofty makes sense too, but I do see a lot of Arthur in him. He seems like a sweetheart. I wondered what Barney Walsh would be like as an actor, and he’s pretty good! So yeah, I’m not, like, deeply interested in Cam but I do very much like him.

Ryan didn’t get that much screentime, so I’m still figuring out how to feel about him. Eddie-Joe Robinson seems good so far, though! He was in an episode of Casualty before, in another role, but I don’t remember it well so I don’t remember what he was like in that.

Rida is the one I thought I’d like the most, and I’m definitely enjoying her! But we didn’t see her that much in this episode either, so I don’t have a lot to say yet. I think, from this episode, she’s my second fave. She seems like a very fun character, and I’m liking Sarah Seggari in the role!

Elsewhere, Jacob’s a paramedic now! I feel like it’s a bit ridiculous for him to be a paramedic already, but oh well. I think I would’ve rather had them retcon in that he trained as a paramedic before or something. He does fit in well with the paramedics, though! And I love Jacob anyway. Whether he’s a nurse or a paramedic, I don’t care, he’s great.

I loved the variety of patients in this episode, and their various stories. I feel like, the more patients a Casualty episode has in it, the more I tend to like it, lol.

#BBC Casualty #Donna Jackson #Jodie Whyte #Cameron Mickelthwaite #Ryan Firth #Rida Amaan #Jacob Masters #Casualty spoilers

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givereadersahug · 1 year

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2022 Fic Round-Up (Again)

Am I doing another fic round-up? You bet! They deserved to be talked about. Why should I stop talking about them once I publish my work? Thanks for the tag @danpuff-ao3!

Rules:

Post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular),

your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year,

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year,

your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year,

and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

Tagging - Anybody who see this post, go write ahead! I want to read about your fics and what you're excited for!

5 fics

I'm going to try to talk about fics I hadn't talked about before. Got to spread the love! And I feel like some deserve more attention, or at least an acknowledgement from me that -- yes, I wrote the thing and no, I didn't forget about you.

The Mirror of Erised (Harry Potter, Gen, 200 words) - This was written for a prompt community on Dreamwidth, which challenges you to write a drabble using 100 words or 200 words in total. The prompt for this work was 'shattered glass.' This was...different. I knew immediately I wanted to write a fic using the Mirror of Erised. I have a whole complex backstory for the mirror and how it came to be and what it saw through the years. And I knew how I wanted to end the story. The story would make for a heartbreaking, well-rounded fic if I had the capacity and the talent to convey the emotions I wanted to convey -- the devastation, the yearning, the complete loss, the possession. So I used this prompt as an exercise. Sometimes I do that --- most of my drabbles are slice of life fics that don't need more than a few hundred words to express. But for some --- for some, I want to see if the story is worth telling. Does it merit an expansion? An in-depth look? A second chance? It's a great exercise, imo, and I get my bazillion and one ideas out there in the world and not hidden away in my folder on my computer to never be seen again. The process of thinking about the world and editing the drabble and seeing it published --- it helps with figuring out which story is worth my time and which isn't worth my time. Maybe I will go back to it. Maybe I inspire someone to write something. Who knows? But back to this drabble. I'm proud of this drabble. I think. I'm proud of the story in my head that I have for this world. I do, however, want to change the wording and the pitter-patter, rhythmic way I wrote it. (Since I think the rhythm was lost a bit and certain sentence structures, imo, were wonky.) But the reception over on Dreamwidth was great. People really responded to it and I really love the story in my head. Which that's the problem, huh? If only we have a way to transfer the stories we envisioned directly onto the page. Now I'm just rambling. Back to the topic. I'm proud of this. It deserves to be talked about. There. <3

Peace (SK8 the Infinity, Matchablossom, 200 words) - This was also written for a drabble prompt community on Dreamwidth. The prompt was 'you know me.' Matchablossom. What can I say? They are my comfort ship right now. Unlike my other ships, this one is 'realistic' in a way that this could be my parents or my friends and their partners or the loving couple I know down the street. Just them. Being old friends who happened to be in love and do domestic things together and fight and be annoyed with each other --- without the fate of the world hanging in balance, or a chosen one prophecy, or complicated planetary relations muddling the waters. Comfort. It's the little things you do for the person you love, which I think I captured in this drabble. The little things that Kojiro does for Kaoru throughout their days together. (In this case, feeding him, since Kojiro runs a restaurant and Kaoru is a mess of a human being who forgets to eat and needs to be fed.) Action speaks louder than words -- the dynamics of their relationship, their feelings for each other. I was working on my 'showing, not telling' and I don't know. This drabble is one I often come back to to read. Most of the fics I read is all about the complexities, or the dangers of saving the world/country/universe/etc, the grit & harshness of a couple getting together. Which is great! But sometimes writing about domestic fluff and established relationships with no true conflict --- well, there are so few writers that can get that right for me. Each genre and each trope is complex in its own way, and everyone has different tastes, and sometimes you just have to write the fic you want to see in the world. This is a long-winded answer to just say that I know what I like, and I love this drabble.

Forgiveness (Harry Potter, Severus Snape/unnamed male character, 625 words) This was written for the hp-coffeehouse community on Dreamwidth for the prompt - coffee/tea in hot weather/summer. Old man Snape! Waiting in a teashop and asking for forgiveness from an old lover. I wanted to write a Muggle AU about regrets and...man, was this hard. I think I did okay. I went for a more lyrical style. I had no specific male lover in mind, since this was about Severus coming to terms with his past actions. I was reading Yoko Ozawa's works at the time (highly recommend her books) and I was trying to capture her style. I don't think I succeeded, but I'm happy with the outcome. Even if it took me a while to get this written. 🤣

Devotion (SK8 the Infinity, Matchablossom, 7316 words) I wrote Intricacies first. Devotion is a remix of that fic. I was dumb and thought - 'Huh. What if there was a fanfic that actually dealt with the real legal issues in Japan in relation to same-sex couples adopting?' Cause, let's be real here. Same-sex couples can't get married and they can't adopt. (Yet.) And there were a lot of fanfics about Kaoru and Kojiro happily married and maybe adopting a child, and I decided to throw cold water onto the parade. I wanted to read a fanfic about their struggles to get married and to adopt, and when I couldn't find one, I wrote it myself. In the end, this fic isn't even really about them adopting. It's about them coming to terms with each other and them being a team. Adoption and marriage (and to a lesser extent, citizenship, a whole other bag of issues Japan has) was just a vehicle in Kaoru and Kojiro being more Kaoru and Kojiro. You think that given I wrote the fic I have the words to express my feelings about it or talk about the emotions I wanted to convey, but I can't. 🤣 Anyway, I'm proud of this fic. Go fic!

Colours (Harry Potter, Snarry, 2268 words) This was written for the Liquid Luck Drabble challenge. The prompt was a photograph of blue butterflies on a fallen log. It's pretty simple. I just wanted to write a fic in which Severus gets railed by Harry. But I also wanted Severus to be hopelessly smitten? But yet in a Severus way? idk how to describe it, but I wanted to write how Mr. Darcy looked in the second proposal scene in Pride & Prejudice (2005). Completely enamored, enchanted, beguiled, besotted---- basically all the adjectives. 🤣 I wanted to create a sense of ethereal and grace in the story, cause the photograph (which is linked in the story) is such beauty and mystic and other-wordly. I know I'm not a plot-heavy writer. What I do want is to bring up certain emotions while you read and I wanted this fic to be like a dream you dreamed once.

4 WIPs

I'm not going to count my fest fics. Mostly, I just don't want to jinx myself. I have yet to drop a fest and I feel like the more I talk about them, the more I get insecure? Have second thoughts? Something goes funny in my brain, so here are other projects I hope to accomplish in the next year or two.

The Loneliest Time Project. I always wanted to write a series of fics based around a theme, so I figured new year, new project. The Loneliest Time is the sixth studio album released by Carly Rae Jepsen and it's my favorite album of 2022. It is also ripe for inspiration. Each song is an examination of different types of loneliest. There is cynicism in this album. There are heartbreaks, regrets, bitterness. I have a few ideas already. I just need a push to actually write them out.

King Severus. My bedtime story for Coco. I'll finish it! I promise, Coco! I PROMISE.

Your Name & Paranorman. These are two Snarry AUs I spoke about once or twice on Discord. I have the outlines. I just...hmmm. Something is holding me back, and I need to figure out what it is.

Restoration. My incomplete Snarry AUctoerfest entry. The one I dropped and wrote something else for the fest. I'm hoping to have this one done before the 2023 AUctoberfest, but who knows? *crossing fingers*

3 improvements

I got over my writer's block? That is a major improvement, I think. 🤣 Do I even need the other two?

Signing up for fests! That really helped in getting my mojo back. And participating in prompt challenges. I apparently like structure and rules, so fests & prompts really helped this year.

Learning not to worry too much about being perfect. English is technically my third language. I used to be obsessed over my fics having to be perfect before I even think about posting them online. I don't even care if my plot would be received well as long as my grammar is perfect. My grammar is farrrr from perfect. (I'm sure there are a bunch of mistakes in this post.) I have eccentricities in my writing style, the way I talk, the way I think. Nobody is ever perfect, so why should I be? And the edit button is always there. (Also, can I say again how tenses are the BANE OF MY EXISTENCE. arghhhh.)

2 resolutions

I want to crack that 10k mark. One of my fic needs to hit that 10k mark. Please?

Thorki, my love. My OTP. You are intimidating and scary to write for. I hope I can write something for you. So far I have dipped my toes in. I just need to submerge myself fully. Hopefully. Maybe.

1 line

Hmmm. I only have one line? But..hmmm. Okay, for this bit I decided to randomly choose one fic from SK8 the Infinity and one from Harry Potter and pick a line from there. (Or in this case, a paragraph.)

Devotion - (SK8 the Infinity, Matchablossom, 7316 words)

This moment at the tail-end of Kaoru’s rant, him voicing all his anxiety filled thoughts he must had have obsessed over – this moment with Kaoru’s flushed cheeks, his hair out of place from all his gesturing, and his eyes filled with heated passion and the deluge of pure emotions cascading from every pore – Kojiro thought he was in love with Kaoru before but this. This was the moment Kojiro knew with absolute certainty he was head over heels, couldn’t live without, shout from the sun and moon and stars and heavens he was totally, devastatingly, hopelessly in love with Kaoru – the most infuriating man Kojiro had ever known, and the most caring man Kojiro had ever known. He would have fought the world before for Kaoru, but now he would fight Kaoru if he himself got in Kojiro’s way in making him happy.

Dragons - (Harry Potter, Severus Snape/Charlie Weasley, 2659 words)

Dragons were misunderstood; people always saw them as violent creatures when they were anything but violent. Hulking and snarling, they were gentle creatures at heart. They react with brutality and sheer force when backed into a corner. I knew how to handle the beasts; I am reaping the reward for bedding one.

#random text post #wrap up #fandom #writing #harry potter #sk8 the infinity

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jlf23tumble · 10 months

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well during the first half of the tour, Louis kinda likes some "I 💖 My Boyfriend" shirts and very much joyous when women compliment him, I know it's not flirting but if you expand your horizons Jen, they are heterosexual women who indeed thirst for Louis. Like sexually, more sexually than any het harrie out there. But, they do know boundaries (surprisingly). Anyways, I love the "Duplicity" (Louis' Version) impact FITFWT has given. Sure some people see Louis in a "brotherly manner" but that doesnt mean EVERYONE is like that. Louis in the other hand... well the bisexuality... it's in him but I think that discourse is up to debate. Louis just have a dominant teasing personality but he knows he just loves to work and party, and ngl, I love him for that. The fact he's recognize as a rockstar sex god rather than the gay one in 1D, like that's an improvement right there!

anon 2: in relation to your anon about louis thirst vs harry thirst. i think you hit the nail on the head when you say that most people who thirst over louis aren’t straight, and most people who we see thirsting over harry are. which isn’t unintentional at all imo, harry does constantly cater to the fantasy boyfriend audience, that is mostly made up of cishet young girls. i also agree with you that louis thirsters are way funnier. and i wouldn’t be interested in following a harry thirst blog, i don’t think. it’s the whole “i like harry styles in a gay way and only wish to engage with people who like him in a gay way too” thing isn’t it? anyways, love your blog! :)

-----

anon 1, I'm DEAD over Duplicity (Louis's Version), lmaooo, but also leak these accounts! I just want to lurk for a wee bit, but I also I like seeing all sides, so help me! It's also fascinating to watch him slowly pivot his public persona, super interesting for sure!

anon 2: see above, I think a lot of things are changing, and I'm so curious to hear all about it--and thank you for the love!

#louis tomlinson #has come a long way baby

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insomniacaesthetic · 2 years

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Do u ship Snily?

Feeling like that “you’re asking me about my theories? I’ve waited years for someone to ask me about my theories!” Clip

ANYWAYS I have a lot of thoughts on Snily. I could probably write an entire think piece that is longer than the Harry Potter books on it. But I’ll try to be concise.

I like a lot of things about Snily. To sum up my thoughts in one sentence, I’ll always prefer and enjoy platonic snily more than romantically.

In more detail:

Snape and Lily’s relationship to me comes across very rom com like. And that’s what I’ve never understood with anti snily folks. Or Jily shippers. It seems like such a obvious pairing. James is the jock bully and Severus is the best friend the MC (Lily) is supposed to be with and has loved all along. I love snily in this regard. Friends to lovers. Where they’re polar opposites who balance each other out perfectly.

Platonically: I love snily and could consume content related to it all day. I think this is canon imo. Severus loved Lily as the one and only person who has ever been kind to him. He has an attachment to her. Not an obsession just so we are clear. It’s probably not a healthy one as time goes on as they become different people. Though I do think if Lily had been a better friend to Severus he would’ve never become a death eater. I think that’s why I have a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to romantic snily. Lily just wasn’t a good person let alone friend to Severus.

I wish they stayed best friends/ I wish Severus got over her. I truly think he deserved someone great and Lily could’ve been that if she matured or he could’ve found someone much much better.

So in conclusion, do I ship snily? Romantically- not with canon Lily. Platonically- absolutely 100% yes, guided that they both improve upon eachother.

#severus snape #pro snape #snily #platonic snily #anti jily #lily potter #lily evans

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kaz-with-hat · 3 years

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on the topic of your badger vs lion secondary post, what are some differences between badger and snake secondary? the (harry potter) stereotype is that theyre completely different, but theyre more similar than people give them credit for in both being fluid secondaries. and i understand that badgers are a prepwork secondary, but ive heard badgers say that they can thrive in improv situations because their prepwork is in the people around them. thoughts?

This ask is ironic because Snake is the one Secondary I do not understand at all. Lion? Bird? They're not who I am deep down but I get them, they make sense to me, I can use them in a pinch - Bird is both fun and useful while Lion is my "break glass in case of emergency". Snake? Snake is some sort of wizardry beyond my ken.

My suspicion is that Snake and Badger might be a case of Secondaries that can look very similar to the outside observer but are coming from fundamentally different places. Like, the fluid thing - I can easily imagine that this can be hard to tell apart for someone watching. Especially if we get into Exploded Badger, where you can in fact shift pretty strongly and contradict who you were earlier to match the other person. That might look pretty Snake!

But the thing is that a Courtier Badger is not acting. In that way, Badger is more similar to Lion than Snake, IMO - you're always being authentically you. It's just that "you" is a fluid concept. Certain parts are magnified and others tucked away depending on who you're talking to and the overall vibe of the group, but to a certain point that just feels natural? And at least for me it's not really happening consciously, I don't decide "oh I think this person I'm talking to needs an extra dose of tech geek Kaz and extra emotional intensity but to go minimal on sarcastic Kaz" or whatever. You just sort of see how the person acts and automatically shift to bring out the parts of yourself (or, when Exploded, create the parts of yourself) that suit that. My understanding from what Snakes have said is that their shifting is a lot more deliberate and calculated and there's a lot more distance there.

(more on Badgers improvising on familiar territories and how "integrity of method" can actually include some Snakey elements below cut)

The improv thing is interesting, because the analogy I actually want to draw here is to Rapid-Fire Bird. Namely: I think the Built secondaries can be capable of quick shifting and dealing with things on the fly, but it needs to be in an area where they have something built already. From a Badger perspective, it's like - the stronger your foundation, the less necessary it becomes for you to build and plan every little detail of what you need in advance, the more likely a rough idea of where you're going is enough, and the more likely it is that you can react to something quickly because you're on such familiar ground. Like, when I'm at work, I know that I got this. I have the skills and background, I've built up the expertise, I know that if I don't know something right away I know where to find it out, I have the trust of my teammates... so I can roll with the punches and try out various tactics to solve a problem, and also leave stuff unplanned knowing I'll be able to figure it out when it happens. This sounds similar to what you're saying about Badgers thriving in improv because their prep work is in the people around them, and this might look Snake to the outside observer? But it's extremely situational, it's only possible because we're in my territory here. I have absolutely no clue how Snakes pull this off without that basis. My Lion model is pretty much actively terrifying to use due to that lack of something to draw on, it feels like I'm jumping in the deep end - and at least that's straightforward, you just pick a direction and start going. Snakes just, like, do the adaptability/try a bunch of different tactics/find a path around obstacles thing in completely unfamiliar situations? I... but... how.

One last point where I think the two might look similar but get there in completely different ways: what exactly the Badger's "integrity of method" is can vary a lot. I think a lot of people who hear this might think that it's always about throwing more and more effort at the problem to solve it. But the Right Way to solve something can include "don't reinvent the wheel, make sure there isn't an existing solution you can use for this before you start solving it yourself". Or "try a few different approaches to make sure you've found the best/most efficient/most elegant one." Or "don't sink too much effort into trying to find the absolute perfect solution right off. It's more important to get something that works in place now and then come back to improve on it over time." To an outside observer, this could look Snakey - you're stopping and trying different things before you settle on the best way to solve something, you're borrowing things other people have done to save yourself effort, you're showing up with rough solutions that handle the problem but could really be refined. But it's coming from a very different place, with Badger doing these things because it's the right way (and, therefore, likely to do things like try different approaches even if the first one worked OK, or go to a lot of effort to make sure there's no solution already available even when making their own wouldn't be that hard), while the Snake is more goal-oriented and doing these things because they're trying to find the path that gets them to their destination quickest.

(...rereading the above paragraph I'm like: how obvious is it that I'm a software developer...)

Conclusion: even if in certain contexts the end result looks the same, Snakes remain magic beyond my comprehension. Sorry anon!

#badger secondary #snake secondary #answers #sortinghatchats

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letteredlettered · 3 years

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FWIW, I've always enjoyed the tone of your stories. There's something compelling to me about a hero being confronted with the ways in which they fall short and actively trying to improve. I so often see stories about people learning and growing in their journey to becoming a hero, but then what? Are they done then? I like to think that even after they save the day that they have learning and growing to do. Imo, your H/D fic is so wonderful bc it shows that even the best people can be better.

I just realized after sending that message that I could've been completely misinterpreting your intended tone. Sorry about that! This is just the tone that I perceive when I read your stories.

I'm glad that's the tone you perceive. People are free to interpret my stories how they like, but the tone you described is exactly what I'm going for.

One thing I love about fanfic is almost by its very nature, it tends to tackle subjects that you don't see in published fiction or even in traditional stories. The primary subjects have already been handled in canon; the traditional story has already been told. Formulae for conflict and resolution have been executed. Characters have been introduced, the main events of their lives examined. In traditional stories, we see people fall in love and battle evil and deal with hardship. In fic, we get to see how they brush their teeth.

In a traditional story, it's hard to show how a hero still can change and grow after they become a hero, because if we're not shown the initial story of them becoming a hero--can we really trust that they're a hero? We're so used to stories about people becoming heroes that a story about a hero who changes and grows feels like a story about someone who was thought to be a hero, but wasn't actually a hero, until they got to this story, where they become the actual hero.

But I myself am very interested in the idea that becoming a good person is a continual process, not a discrete one. When I was much younger, I would try really hard to be kind, to be considerate, to be honest, to be just--and yet, people were still sometimes upset with me. I could be the very best I could possible be, but then if I was tired or frustrated and got snippy, people would get upset with me. I found this exhausting. Could people cut me some slack? Could someone love me enough to just say, "You're good enough. You've done enough. It's okay you said this one thing in a slightly snippish tone, because you've been trying so so hard." But that never happened. I began to think it never would. Then there was a point when I realized it couldn't.

No matter how hard I tried, no matter what I did, I would still sometimes fail. Other people would still have feelings, and I would still have to deal with those feelings. I would never ever get to the point where I had "done enough" not to deal with the consequences of my actions, however small.

That's a big reason I fell in love with Harry/Draco. Harry gives so much and sacrifices so much not only for those he loves, but for millions of nameless strangers who will never know that he was willing to die for them. I felt like he should really just get to rest. But then there were all these H/D fics in which Draco kept saying, "but I'm still here, and I still matter, who I am and what I do still matter; they should still matter to you, Harry Potter." And both Harry and I were like wtf? Why should you matter, of all people?

Harry doesn't owe Draco anything. He doesn't have to give Draco the time of day, if he doesn't want to. But I like a Harry who realizes that Draco matters because he's a human being, because we all matter. I like a Harry who is willing to do the extra work to open himself up to that, who likes being opened in that way, who comes to love Draco for opening him in that way. I love Harry because he's a hero, and Draco because he's human.

#harry/draco #harry potter #heroes

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yconic · 4 years

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Okay so I watched The Addams Family movies again today and me, not wanting to act out of character, had to make my own live action fancast

Of course I was gonna go with THE Oscar Isaac for Gomez. I'm not uncultured.

Now look, I know Eva Green and Charlize Theron are particularly favored as Morticia fancasts, but Emeraude Toubia is an underrated UNIT for me. Not only does she have the look (in my eyes) but she was amazing in Shadowhunters. I'd go as far as to say she was the backbone of the actors besides Harry Shum Jr tbh. She can totally play darker roles, and I would love to see her do them. She has that deadly elegance Morticia radiates while also serving some hopeless romantic vibes. She could totally pull it off imo

I really loved Jeremy Ray Taylor in It!! Again, an underrated actor who needs more opportunities. He really has the visuals for Pugsley for me, his acting just needs some improvement

Now!! India Eisley isn't necessarily a known actress, but she's no shadowy figure either. She's a bit old to be playing Wendsay, thought I could imagine her for a young adult version of her!! I actually have a second choice for Wendsay since I couldn't decide

Mackenzie Foy mesmerized me in The Nutcracker!! I didnt expect her to pull of the role involving one of my favorite fictional figures growing up, but she certainly upper her game, granted she was given the opportunity! She's closer to Wendsay's age for me, and I wouldn't mind seeing her in that role

Now LOOK, Joel Kinnaman is an astounding actor and the fact that barely anyone talks about his work in Altered Carbon is a crime on itself. The man seems to be associated with "the strong and silent type but they're actually a sweetie" characters, so hell yeah I'll pick him for Lurch

And finally!! Sarah Jessica Parker for Eudora/Grandmama Addams. She's so iconic and hocus pocus is just a monumental spooky movie, how can I NOT pick her?

#fancast #Oscar isaac #gomez addams #emeraude toubia #morticia addams #jeremy ray taylor #pugsley addams #india eisley #wendsay addams #mackenzie foy #joel kinnaman #lurch #lurch addams #sarah jessica parker #grandmama addams #the addams family

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phoebe-delia · 3 years

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What was the first musical your ever saw, and how did that shape your perception of musicals, musical theatre, and theatre as a whole?

Jet, what a lovely question. Once again, you've put a little bit of joy in my ask box, and I can't thank you enough for it.

I think the first musical I ever saw was Les Miserables; Cats was also an early one for me, but I think Les Mis came first, and I'm fairly certain I saw it on stage first. And before I go on, I feel as if I can't mention these two musicals in connection with one another without talking about Terrence Mann. He played Rum Tum Tugger and Javert in the original Broadway casts of both shows. I cannot think of an actor who has more range than him.

Also, while we're talking about Les Mis casting: a lot of people have also only seen the recent movie adaptation; if you take away nothing else from this post, let it be my strong recommendation to watch one of the professionally recorded concert versions. The 10th Anniversary ("Dream Cast: In Concert") is my personal favorite, with a perfect cast IMO, but the 25th Anniversary one is a good option, too. I have a whole entire rant about the movie adaptation that I will refrain from going on at the moment.

Now, on to actually answering the question, assuming I haven't lost my audience at this point, oops.

First, Les Mis impacted me by showing me the art of storytelling and characterization. I think it's really impacted my taste in musicals, because my favorite shows are those that take me on the best emotional journey. Great Comet, Falsettos, Chicago, and Wicked are probably my top four favorite shows of all time, and I think they each have deep storytelling elements. Every time I listen to those cast albums, I come away with something new. That's how it is with Les Mis; there's always some new little nugget to pick up on, whether in the music, the lyrics, the story, or the characters, that makes the story even more meaningful.

Second, Les Mis allowed me to see myself in some of the characters. As a young person, Gavroche spoke to me a lot, since he was unfazed by the adults who didn't take him seriously. He showed me the power that kids have, and that lesson always stuck with me.

But more than Gavroche, I started to see myself more and more in Eponine as I got older.

I remember seeing Rachel sing "On My Own" as her audition song in "Glee," and I was spellbound. That performance reintroduced me to the song and the character of Eponine at a point in my life when I was developing a crush on a boy who never liked me back. I have such a fondness for that song, and I remember what it was like to pine away for someone who would never return the same feelings. Eponine's role in the musical is relatively minor; her two biggest moments are singing about her unrequited love and then dying for Marius at the battle. But I think that's such a good representation of love. Eponine dies for Marius, who, frankly, isn't a great guy. But I don't know whether Cosette would've died for him, or if Marius would've sacrificed his life for Cosette. He might've, to be chivalrous, but maybe not entirely out of love.

Finally, Les Mis also showed me the power of nuanced characters. Javert is extremely interesting, as a character. Of course, it seems on the surface as if we're supposed to view him as villain, but when we explore his story arc a little more closely and see his motivations, it becomes a bit more muddled.

In Javert's death, we see a parallel incident to the one Valjean has at the beginning of the musical. In "Valjean Arrested/Valjean Forgiven," Valjean is caught stealing from the bishop, and rather than being punished, he is given more silver and told to use it to improve himself. During "Javert's Suicide," Javert is similarly confused by the way he was treated with mercy after he was captured by the rebels and freed because of Valjean. The music is the same in both songs,

Javert kills himself because he is unable to grapple with the way his entire worldview has just been upended. He starts to question everything he knows. He and Valjean are such interesting foils because where Valjean takes the forgiveness and opportunity to redeem himself, Javert is so deeply disturbed and troubled by it that he loses his will to go on. As Javert sings: "Is he from heaven or from hell? And does he know, that granting me my life today, this man has killed me even so?" And it's so tragic that just when he was on the verge of a moral breakthrough, he thinks he's lost purpose in life.

Anyway--this is my extremely long-winded way of saying that Les Mis gave me an appreciation for powerful characters and storytelling, and it serves as an influence for me when it comes to both my consumption/analysis of other art and creating my own writing.

Send me an ask about Harry Potter, broadway/musicals, The West Wing, and/or Taylor Swift! Or just about life in general :).

Also, I have a playlist of my 99 most listened-to songs of the year so far. Pick a number 1--99 and send me an ask and I'll write you a fic based on it!

#this is a WHOLE essay #that you didnt really ask for but also did #les miserables #musicals #musical theater #les mis #showtunes #broadway #theater #javert #jean valjean #eponine #ama #ask #ask box #ask me stuff

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itsclydebitches · 3 years

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ngl voyager gets a whole lot of very disproportional hate from the fandom and i'd hazard a guess that a lot of that is just garden-variety misogyny (and probably racism mixed in, considering how many of the most prominent characters are women, poc, or both). like, is voyager perfect? absolutely not. and no spoilers but there was a lot of executive meddling that wound up leading to the finale/conclusion being lacking and there's a lot of reasonable dissatisfaction with that--but again that was largely thanks to the execs fucking the show over and i recommend looking into that if you can once you've finished the show. but overall? voyager is trek right to its very core--it has heart, it's about family, and it never loses sight of that imo, even if some episodes are weaker or just duds (but, like, would it be a trek series without some episodes that just kinda suck but are still fun to watch???)

anyway, i absolutely love that you're getting into voyager, it is my all-time favorite trek series to this day for a lot of reasons, and i hope that ppl like that anon dont put you off bc i'd love to continue to see your thoughts as you watch the series!

Oh, it would take a whole lot more than some anons being salty that others enjoy things to turn me off :D

Thus far (I lost internet last night so I’m still only on Episode 7 of Season 2), Voyager is the Trekiest Trek I’ve watched. Which is a weird sentence, but I mean it in the way you said it’s “trek right to its very core.” What is Star Trek, if we strip the intent of the story down to its basics? It’s about exploration, discovery, that “wagon train to the stars,” wrapped up in the argument that life is fundamentally good. We have problems, but we can work past them. We have differences, but they strengthen us. Diversity is the lifeblood of the universe and the future will continue to improve so long as we embrace that.

Voyager is (again, from what I’ve seen so far!) basically a love song to that premise. I didn’t do too deep a dive because I’m trying to avoid spoilers, but I did look at a couple threads discussing why Voyager is so hated. Again and again I saw the same reason pop up: wasted potential. Now, a lot of fans left it at that (as if the answer to what potential Voyager apparently missed out on is self-evident. It’s not), but those who did expand on the idea consistently claimed that the show needed to be darker than it was, even if they rarely said it like that. Why aren’t the Federation and the Marquis at each other’s throats? Why isn’t the crew going crazy under these circumstances? Why aren’t characters getting killed off left and right in hostile space? “Anything could have happened out there and they played it safe!” but the “anything” here is always... awful. There’s this very pervasive idea that the world is inherently cruel, people are inherently divisive, that when pushed to the brink everything will fall apart... and that (while making for one kind of great story) is very much not Star Trek.

See, Voyager created an unimaginable scenario--lost in space, 75 years from home, forced to live indefinitely with strangers--and their answer to the question of “What happens?” is “People make it work.” They learn to respect one another, they uphold their ideals, they maintain a love of life and discovery, and they create a family. And that’s fucking fantastic. That’s Star Trek! I’m not going to pretend there aren’t problems with the show, with plenty more to come, I’m sure, but I don’t think this is one of them. Why do so many viewers think that hatred, horror, death, and growing jaded is the only potential here? Why would they expect that in a Star Trek show whose premise is the very antithesis of those things?

“But they don’t do enough with those things, even if they have happy outcomes.” They do plenty, they just do it in an episodic rather than serialized nature. I can point to multiple episodes where the replicator rations or Maquis differences are driving the characters’ actions. “But without that horror there’s no conflict.” There’s plenty of conflict. Hostile aliens aside, I just watched an episode where Tuvok and Chakotay are pissed as hell at one another because they fundamentally disagree over how to handle problems, but--because they’re adults with a well-tested respect for one another--they apologize and work through it. “But the characters don’t develop at all.” You mean they don’t grow harder. That’s not the same thing as no development. Tuvok is figuring out how to be more flexible, Chakotay is becoming more willing to accept cultures he doesn’t agree with, Harry is growing more confident now that he’s far from home, the Doctor is learning to see himself as a person, Paris is grabbing his second chance with both hands by making strong ties, and Janeway is learning to command and care for her crew simultaneously. I honestly believe that a lot of people think of “character development” as the character becoming a fundamentally different person, unrecognizable from where they started out. But characters can also grow into the people they wanted to be in the first place. “We’re far from home, in hostile territory, tempted to do horrific things to survive... but no. Right now at least, we’re holding onto who we are. We’re scientists, so we’re going to explore and learn. We’re peaceful, so we’re going to make friends with as many species as we can. We’re members of a society that teaches acceptance, so we’re going to form a family on this spaceship.” That’s incredible!! Did fans miss why Seska was an antagonist in the episode she was unmasked? Because she was trying to convince them to give up everything they believe in in the name of survival, an ends justify the means argument. And the crew said no, we will not give up what we believe in just to make it through. I legit saw a ton of fans saying some version of, “I can’t believe they were that far from home and actually followed Starfleet’s rulebook.” It’s because those rules don’t exist for the hell of it. Overlooking their practical function, they’re a philosophy that the characters believe in, and they’re figuring out how important that part of their identity is to them under these circumstances. Am I willing to steal a specie’s technology if it gets us home? Am I willing to die to help another uphold their own philosophy? (Chakotay in “Imitations”). What regulations should we bend or change to accommodate our new situation? The first two things Janeway does are a) giving the guy who just came out of a penal colony a rank and b) deciding that she needs to be more familiar with her crew than is normally encouraged for a captain because she’s essentially their mom now. Developing doesn’t have to mean characters do a 180 on their initial personality, or characters getting killed off when stuff gets “boring” so that others can do edgy things in response.

Voyager upholds Trek’s premise and runs it to its logical conclusion:

Voyager has the most literal trek--a trek back home.

Voyager has the most diverse crew--a woman Captain, Native American First officer, black Vulcan, Asian-American communications officer, and a White Dude pilot that realizes he wants to be soft and kind towards those who took a chance on him because Toxic Masculinity who?

Voyager has the most literal family--not just a 5+ year mission, but a crew who expects to raise the next generation. They have no choice but to work together, so they indeed come together rather than pulling apart

Except they do, of course, have a choice. In “The 37′s” the crew is allowed to stay on the Earth-like planet with a city of other humans and Janeway is convinced that a sizable number will choose that. After all, they may never get home and this is a safer, kinder future for them. In fact, the real question is whether so many will stay that they can no longer run the ship... but Janeway would never dictate her crew’s choices in that manner. So she swallows her worry down, opens the door...

... and finds that not a single person decided to stay behind. And the show has ensured we understand that this is not just because they all have some unshakable belief that they’ll get home (many don’t), but because this is their family now. This is home.

And fans want to toss that out for a generic, gritty, sci-fi adventure where hope is scarce, the universe is cruel, and people need to be pushed to the limit just to admit that they maybe, sort of, like each other?? Obviously like what you like, but that’s a hard pass for me. I’ll take the bridge crew comforting each other in “Twisted,” thanks. Besides, we already have shows like that. And we already have DS9 which grapples with many of those dark, pessimistic themes. Voyager feels like a breath of fresh air, even within the breath of fresh air that is Star Trek as a franchise. It’s a show that says, “Yes, when everything goes wrong people will come together. They will love each other. They will make it through.”

What’s more Star Trek than that?

#star trek #ST #mymetas #Anonymous

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