#I just think these two clash in really interesting ways :0

[sensitiveheartless]

Man who would kill his best friend in order to exert his free will and unchain himself from the shackles of emotions VS man who has chosen to give up his own freedom in order to protect those closest to him, FIGHT

#I want them to interact so badly #alternatively: man who genuinely adores his friend but fully intends to murder him #VS man who claims to despise his partner yet goes out of his way to keep him alive #I just think these two clash in really interesting ways :0 #bsd #my art #bsd chuuya #bsd gogol #bsd mykola hohol #bungou stray dogs #gun tw #gun cw

[thefloatingstone]

Sailor Moon Questions: Why is Mamoru the worst part? Is it a Kaiden Alenko sort of thing or did you inherit Kunihiko Ikuhara's dislike maybe? Also, what about PGSM gets past your dislike of live action remakes?

Mamoru is the worst part of Sailor Moon because he is BORINGGGGG. He is literally just a prize for Usagi. And I mean that's perfectly fine because, to put it bluntly, "this ain't about him". Mamoru is only important because he's important to Usagi. We only care about him because Usagi does. If she didn't care about him we could kick him out of the group and never think about him ever again.

The problem is just that sometimes, although very rarely in the 90s anime, the story makes a big drama over him and Usagi's relationship. Honestly the ONLY reason is works in the anime is because we're always seeing it from Usagi's perspective. So we care because she cares.

But whenever we have to spend time with Mamoru it's just so incredibly dull and uninteresting because the guy has no personality. And what little personality he DOES have isn't particularly enjoyable. In the manga he's a bit of a sarcastic bitch which is at least SOMETHING I like about him. But in the anime and in PGSM... he's just a anal retentive jerk most of the time, brooding and aloof to make him ~*mysterious*~ and desirable to the preteen audience because he is uncomplicated and therefore nonthreatening. But in the anime especially, as soon as he and Usagi officially get together he is all but a blank slate. Just passively nice in a way that forgoes any individuality. He's literally the opposite of Bella Swan. A sort of reverse Y/N where instead of being a self insert for the audience, he's an insert for the audience to project whatever they think would make for a cool boyfriend because he has no describable traits. Hell we barely even know what he's supposed to be studying!

This is why a rather big group of fans, especially back in the day, preferred Usagi with Seiya in the anime. Because at least Seiya had SOMETHING resembling a personality. I don't like Seiya but they at least are a CHARACTER.

And then because Mamoru has 0 personality it brings up a lot of questions the source material isn't built to address which is "why are these two together?". Because without actually having a personality, they don't seem to have anything in common at all. And that brings up a lot of uncomfortable questions regarding fate, and destiny, and whether the only reason they are together is pressures from a past life and pressures of a Utopian future they are obligated to fulfill.

None of this is something the story is equipped or interested in discussing, however. Because it's a story for preteen girls (except for the final Stars arc, especially in the manga, where Naoko decided to go off her shit and make the entire thing about philosophy regarding the self, static death versus dynamic life, the acceptance of chaos because it is the only way good can exist even if it means the possibility of evil, self love, the universe as organism etc etc).

Mamoru isn't like Kaidan at all tho because Kaidan is an actual character. I can tell you things about Kaidan, both good and bad, about his personality, how he sees things and how he thinks about things. Mamoru is literally just the male version of a sexy lamp.

I clown on Kaidan and make fun of him because I really appreciate his role in Shepard's story and his importance to the games as a whole. He enriches the world and plot, especially as a foible to Shepard. I think Kaidan's clashing with Shepard makes her personal story BETTER. kaidan ADDS to the narrative specifically because of who he is, how he thinks and how he responds to things, and how he and Shepard have to work out their shit to reach equal grounds and overcome their past issues and mistakes with each other. Kaidan also humanises Shepard in a way that I adore. Because Kaidan and Shepard's messy relationship shows that Shepard is just a human being. Which is immensely important to Mass Effect as a whole.

Shepard isn't space Jesus. She's a human being. Which is why she makes me so emotional.

Mamoru is just there so Usagi can give the preteen girls watching their wish fulfillment of a cool older boyfriend.

And that's just incredibly dull. Especially when the canon within the story itself, in all its incarnations, has other really great relationships which are complex and nuanced and actually interesting.

#C-puff answers #Sailor Moon #Oops. Accidentally made this a long post #The senshi are honestly just one enormous polycule #except for Chibi-Usa and Hotaru who are the Polycule's collective daughters #(and they are also gay)

[slaughtergutz]

Yeah, I really didn't like the way the Fishman Island arc was handled either. The royals do nothing and it's framed as if everyone should just stop being mad at humans even when they have legitimate reasons.

Like hody was a bad villain, but alot of it comes down to oda writing him like a completely one dimensional evil dude. And sometimes doing so clashes really badly with other stuff we're shown.

I get so mad when hody says that humans did nothing to him to earn his hate and its presented as true--that his hate is empty and unreasonable. Even though we see that in flashbacks as a small kid he grew up under constant threat of being kidnapped or killed by humans and adults in his district were killing themselves to take out slave markets. But somehow that's nothing and empty? What because he wasn't personally a slave or killed by a human?

I mean it would be interesting if it was shown that he only says that because he doesn't want to look weak, like humans could traumatized him or hurt people he cared about because they're supior but it's not framed that way. It's just like yeah, he's just being crazy and hateful for 0 reason.

And the prince is like, yeah, we should have worked on ourselves. We were wrong for being mad that humans attacked and enslaved us. Hates not the way--we should just stop being upset. Even though we see no evidence that humans have changed since we still need our home protected by a human pirate so we don't all get killed and shipped off as slaves like before.

Like I'm happy we got more arlong, but dang the message in the arc was handled badly.

yeah the arc in general was rushed af. I think it's probably one of the shortest we've gotten since like, the east blue.

I do kinda like Hody as someone whose never personally been victimized by humans (most probably avoided the Fishman District by the time Arlong was an adult, he was taking care of a lot of em during that time I imagine), bc there really are people who just like to cause havoc in the name of an ideal but not having any real meaning and just wanting violence for violence sakes. In that way I think Hody is fine, but jfc, yeah to everything else.

Also the other two brothers are so fucking annoying. Ah yes let's make sure Shirahoshi is never allowed to feel sad ever, so she can grow up to be an adult unable to process her emotions properly. What could possibly go wrong?

#hody jones

[ran-orimoto]

I want to know you bettah. A favourite character and ship for each Digiseason

Funny, Anon!!!!!! ~~~~~ I don’t really have defined opinions on the series that come after the first four, with the exception of Appmon and Ghost Game. So, sorry if I will skip those other three!

Adventure 01

• Mimi: My princess💕. Along with Katara from ATLA, she’s my own definition of what a girl character should be written like, but I don’t think you want to read long explanations😂.

• Michi: Mimi was a second mc by Taichi’s side. I feel like she had a mirror role in comparison with Taichi’s, as if she’s some sort of girl icon for the franchise. I don’t know how to explain it, but she has got so much presence in the anime, in the merch, in posters; she is voiced by AIM which allowed her to have her own ending, and somehow it feels like this fact makes her omnipresent in the history of the Digimon anime. Wishful thinking, but I like them together because of so many other reasons. THEY JUST CLICK SO WELL.

-Adventure 02

•Miyako: I know I know, she’s not that jewel of character when it comes to her writing, bur her concept has always intrigued me even when I didn’t know Digimon that well. She’s funny, clever, she’s connected with Mimi, she’s also got such a cute design ngl. Can I say she’s my favourite because of these shallow reasons? I think I will find many others when I rewatch 02.

• Daiyako: MY GUILTY PLEASURE. They’re so precious in each other’s regards, always being in the middle of teasing sessions but eventually showing to care about each other so much ? They can work platonically too, and I love pairings that are amazing both platonically and romantically.

-Tamers

KINDA HARD, I will admit it. I like the characters from Tamers but I don’t feel that connected to them. I used to have a huge adoration for Jenrya but it faded somehow. I like Ruki and Hirokazu but not that excessively. I relate to Juri sometimes but she has got so many moments that make me cringe out. It’s … A complex relationship…

• Takato: Again, I’m not THAT attached to him but he is a huge cinnamoroll and a great new beginning for the franchise. I like he’s so ordinary and creative, because…I can relate🤣. And I admit people often call me a girl Takato, sooooo🤣. Like you can see, I don’t have anything to say ahahahha.

• Rukato: MY BBIES, my bbies who are so pleasant at the sight too, thanks to their matching palettes. I confess I come from being a huge Jenruki shipper. Then, I’ve grown bored of those two and I’ve started getting so attracted by Ryouki and Rukato, but the latter eventually won especially because of Runaway Locomon. How could I keep myself from shipping those two after that film? I know there’s Jurato, but the future dramas made me dislike the way things develop…

-Frontier

• Junpei: my only prince son💕

• Junzumi.

.

SHOULD I REALLY SAY SOMETHING, C’MON🤣💕💕💕💕💕

- Appmon

• Eri: I like how she finally brought back a kind of digigirl who could be considered a real character with an interesting story, a nice and quirky personality, meaningful relationships. I had got tired of so many sexualized and pretty uninspiring digigirls (starting from Frontier era SIGH).

Eeeeh I don’t know. I liked Eri and Torajirou but I’ve discovered he’s 11 and she’s 14, so ehmmmmm. Even if the anime pushed it a bit, maybe it’s not the case to ship them ahaha.

I’ll go with • Haru x Yuujin because they are a parallel Jurato✨.

-Ghost Game

• Emma: I KNOW SHE IS NOT PART OF THE TRIO AND SHE APPEARED FOR LESS THAN AN EPISODE, but she ensnared me and makes me salty whenever I see her, because she would have been a perfect four member. Leave me alone, I need to cry and mope.

• Ruri x Kiyoshiro: The total flop this shipping was because in GG the kids had 0 interesting interactions and I want to cry again, because why is that anime so unfair. Still, I ship them, I don’t care. Ruri had her small teasing moments with Kiyoshiro and their personalities CLASH. Idk Ruri would take him to the worst night trips in forests, parks and he would tag along because Jellymon’s and Ruri’s personalities are so perfectly aligned!

Thank you for the ask!💕

#digimon adventure 01 #digimon adventure 02 #digimon tamers #digimon frontier #digimon ghost game #appmon #ehhhhh #all the tags help #mimi #michi #miyako #daiyako #takato #rukato #junpei #junzumi #eri #haru x yuujin #emma #rurikiyo #asks

[zimithrus1]

Tag 9 people you want to get to know better!

I always get nervous about tagging people cause I always feel like I’ll bother them, but if I had to pick some people I’ll go ahead and tag @secluded-delusions @up-sideand-down @thatrandomartistyoufound and @kazeshxni​ I know it’s not 9 but still 😅 And no pressure to participate guys! Also thank you for the tags @prismaticpichu and @aerislei !!

Three Ships:

Cloud/Zack - FFVII: I remember when I first started shipping this about 10 or so odd years ago, even still have the first art I ever drew of the ship lol! But I’ve loved it for such a long time, there was just something about two best friends through thick and thin, with their cute little x arm handshake thing, Zack inviting Cloud to lunch (even though Cloud is currently suffering from motion sickness lmao bad timing there Zack XD) and that he cared for Cloud for like 4 fucking years in his comatose state, he never left him behind, literally died for him when he could have just abandoned him, but he didn’t. And of course in Advent Children when Zack shows up and asks if he needs a hand with Sephiroth, reminds him what he is. I love it so much 💚 It will always be my favorite ship of all time 💗

Zagreus/Thanatos - Hades: I love their dynamic. Like, they used to be close before Zagreus started his attempts to leave the underworld, but then when he started, a distance grew between them. And the first time you encounter him in the game you can tell there’s some animosity between them ‘no escaping from death?’ ‘I left when I had to’ ‘If you won’t say it then I will - goodbye Zagreus’ and then the more you encounter him and gift him ambrosia the closer you become again, mending that once broken trust and friendship, eventually ending up together. ‘I’m right here, aren’t I?’ I love it 🥰

Galo/Lio - Promare: Literally Happy goofy sunshine boy meets grumpy grump boy. Their relationship begins so rocky, as enemies; firefighter against burnish. And the more that time passes, Galo realizes the Burnish don’t burn for no reason, that they are humans just like them, and how could he not realize the truth of what’s happening. Eventually needing to work together to save the earth they call their home. Galo even bringing Lio back to life when he’s about to crumble to ash. I loved their dynamic a ton and how their personalities clashed before they found a way to get along and work together. It’s very good!

First Ship: Inuyasha and Kagome - Inuyasha. I started shipping these 2 when I was 11 after my brother get me into the series, starting with the Castle in the Looking Glass movie. Then I went and watched all the anime and read a ton of the manga books. It’s the earliest ship I can remember, and one of the first fanfics I ever wrote 😆

Last Song: Everglow by Starset (I really really love this band and I’ve been on a Starset kick for months now)

Last Movie: uhhh... shit I’m trying to remember the last movie I watched 😂 I think it was Free Guy

Currently Reading: I have not been reading much actually, aside from some fanfics which the last one I read was one of mine before bed 😂

Currently watching: Sonic Prime. Just started watching it last night and it has a very interesting premise! I love how Tails has 9 tails and goes by 9, I thought that was really cool ngl 😊

Currently consuming: Does Vicks Cough and Congestion medicine count? That’s the last thing I downed 😆 (Yeah, still sick as hell 👍)

Currently craving: Nothing in terms of food, I have 0 appetite 😭 I am craving no longer being sick and playing Crisis Core again! 😆 I’ve been ill since Wednesday like plzzz XD

#tag game #zimianswerz #thank you for the tag!

[missingn000]

Just finished reading chapter 40✨️I have so many thoughts about it so I'll try (and fail) to get them somewhat in order...

1) The fact that Kenjaku decided to monologue to his ex-father-in-law-whose-son-he-murdered about his evil plan and motivations is very pathetic? Like, I never thought I could have less respect for him, yet here we are. Way to prove you have a grand total of 0 friends, my dude. On the other hand, I like what you did with his motivation, it's very interesting to see how his goal clashes with the themes of the story.

2) Sukuna is here!🎉🎉🎉I like how the first thing he does is torment two 10 year olds... what a weird individual. He's so horrible can't believe Wasuke's last words were about his ass and how he needs help😔. I hope he gets it and it's as annoying for him as it is for everyone that has to give it to him (Perhaps even more so). Also, Kenjaku really took a look at Sukuna, minding his own business for the first and last time in his cursed life, and was like "wow, I am gonna ruin this dude's life in ways that haven't even been invented yet".

3) Poor Getou... he finally started to get better and repair his relationship with his son and now this happens.😔Like, he was going to go meet his friends and husband for 5 minutes.✨️ He bought the book!✨️ He was doing so well... I hope he survives and moves past this. At least he managed to ruin Kashimo's day as much as his own day was ruined so he didn't take only L's.

4)Poor Yuuji and Toge... No one in this chapter is having fun except Kenjaku, Sukuna and maybe Mahito. The kids don't deserve this at all... it's not like they're much older in canon, but at least they're not 10. Like, why are a bunch of 1000+ year olds picking on children? I hope Toge survives. I bet Sukuna will be very annoyed once a 10 year old manages to supress him.

5)I love how Kenjaku decided that Mahito showing that he cares about Kashimo even a little bit is not proof that his dumb plan is doomed to fail in the most thematically relevant way possible, but some sort of what? fluke? He really doesn't want to see anything that disproves his point...

Sukuna is a curse, first and foremost, so it’s not even possible. It’s a bit odd that Mahito is showing signs of reciprocating his partner’s strange sense of protectiveness, but that’s neither here nor there.

Anyway, the chapter was really great!✨️I am sad that Wasuke had to die, it's horrible that it happened on Yuuji's birthday, but at least he had time to warn him. I hope Yuuji will stay string and remember his words.

✨️💖✨️

HIII oh i am so thrilled you liked the chapter! or at least that it emotionally throttled you for about 14k words. you're so right, kenjaku has 0 friends and no one likes him. he really went on a whole ass villain monologue to the dude he just poisoned solely because no one knew of his ~true nefariousness~ and that was unacceptable to him. lame ass ignored direct evidence against his plans because he became so sure of himself. that said, his goals were fun to come up with, and i'm super happy you also think they're interesting!!

SUKUNAAAA<3333 my weird individual. yeah, genuinely crazy wasuke's last words were unknowingly telling yuuji to please help the psychotic demon soon to be possessing him. mans needs therapy so bad and instead he has a 10 year old that was perfectly crafted by kenjaku to remind him of how his soul was broken. he needs a hug. but not before getting decked in the face many times for all the shit he's pulled over the last few centuries

ahh getou...sadness. he really got emotionally wrecked and now he has to go fight sukuna in the body of his friend's kid? he cannot catch a fucking break. neither can nanami. anyone, really.

how is this a fix-it fic again?

#thanks for reading <333 #tpg

[chaoticpanenergy]

I just read your thing about your WIP with the aro character and it literally sounds so amazing please tell me more

omg yes yes okay thank u sm here is a big ramble below the cut!!!!! cw for emotionally abusive family members.

okay SO!! the book has two main characters, brian (he/him, aroace) and xeno (they/them, non-SAM aro). they became roommates in their junior year of college through chance. they are both autistic (and brian has adhd), but brian tends to be hyposensitive (needs more stimulation) and xeno tends to be hypersensitive (needs less stimulation) and i think possibly brian didn't know he was autistic at this point, so for a while they had lots of clashes through their sensory needs being so unaligned, and not properly thinking to communicate about it. xeno could not stand brian for probably the first five or six months they knew each other.

but at about the six month point, the two of them started to figure things out, and they also found out that they were both aro (they'd each known, but hadn't told each other) (brian came into xeno's room for the first time (they are a very private person and did not allow him in before), saw their aro flag on the wall, and went "!!!!!!!!!!!" about it). so there was a little bit of awkward transition as they started to figure out how to coexist in a way that met both of their needs, and then they started to get along much better, to the point where they decided to stay roommates for their senior year.

over the course of that year, they grew much much closer, and ultimately entered into a qpr with each other. they continued living together after they graduated. the novel starts midway through the first year after they graduated college, so they're both 23-24.

now!! here is where things get interesting. brian is a wizard, and comes from a whole magical family. but his family is mmmm extremely Not Good. they dedicate themselves to saving the world from monsters (there's a lot more technicality/worldbuilding around this, it's a lot more complicated than that, but that's the tl;dr of it). but the thing is, if you are constantly fighting monsters, sometimes you don't win. and if the monsters want to end the world, not winning is not an option. so the family really prioritizes having Lots of family members, so that there is always enough backup that someone dying won't meant the world ends. but this results in the mindset that any individual family member is expendable. it is a very toxic and traumatizing environment to grow up in; there's a lot of strict hierarchy going on, and a lot of prescribed roles people are expected to fill, and deviating from those roles is heavily frowned upon.

brian is kid number 4 of 9 in his own lineup of siblings, and has a ton of cousins. he wound up taking on the role of peacekeeper in his immediate family. he had to do a lot of managing the emotions of his older siblings and parents, and a lot of parenting his younger siblings, all while neglecting his own needs. so he is a very sweet boy, very attentive to the needs of others, and very good at ignoring his own needs. he has 0 self esteem and does not believe he matters at all, but is really good at hiding it.

he came out to his family as aroace when he was a freshman in college; he'd known for a while, but hadn't told anyone. the reason he decided to come out is that he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of bringing a partner or children into the family, when the family business is so dangerous, because if anything were ever to happen to them he'd consider it his fault. he loves children very much and would love to be a parent, but he doesn't think it is possible for him to do that, because he's unwilling to let his children be part of the family business, and doesn't believe it is possible to cut his family off when he's so used to being controlled by them. and so, even though his reasons for not wanting kids or a partner had nothing to do with his being aroace, he used coming out as an "excuse" for why he wasn't comfortable with that, rather than tell his family the truth about why he won't have kids.

now, the thing is, from brian's behavior, most people tend to assume he's gay, which he has very mixed feelings about. but his family are among the people who assumed he's gay. they were perfectly ready to be supportive of that when he came out, but they were taken off guard by his being aroace, and by his announcement about his intention not to have kids when that's such a big value in the family. so brian was put in a state of semi-disownment where his family refused to talk to him and forbade him from contacting his younger siblings (which he was very crushed over).

xeno, on the other hand, had a really nice childhood in a well-adjusted family that was supportive of their gender and their aroness and their autism. they have two moms, and two siblings, one older and one younger (i forget what the genders of the siblings are, but i do have it written down somewhere). at least one of their moms, possibly both, is/are (a) lawyer(s) (this will be important towards the end of the story). their moms also have like. intimidating scary goth x nonthreatening-but-actually-equally-as-dangerous bubblegum pink vibes. it's great.

xeno majored in accounting in college (which will also be important towards the end of the story), and wants to go into accountancy, but currently they work at the local library. i think they probably have a special interest in math (which means i have to do research about math to write them well, rip me lol) (they probably also have a little bit of shame/internalized ableism going on about it, all "oh i have such a stereotypical SpIn, im a bad autistic" </3 but they've been working on working through that for a while now, and it's much better than it was in for example high school). they have alexithymia and really struggle with projecting the socially appropriate emotions for a given social situation.

so that's how things stand going into the opening of the novel, when brian's family decide that it's time to bring brian back into the fold. his two oldest siblings, marlena and garrett (marlena is in line to become the matriarch of the family, garrett is her second in command, they are both very manipulative people) show up to get brian's help with defeating the latest threat to the world (which is, again, an oversimplification, there's a ton of worldbuilding around what they're actually trying to do, but that's the gist of what they're doing).

brian desperately tries to get them to leave before xeno comes home by agreeing to their every demand, but he isn't fast enough and xeno arrives while marlena and garrett are still there. now, xeno has picked up, from things brian has let slip in the past, that his family is Not Great and Probably Emotionally Abusive, so they immediately go into fighting mode to protect brian.

marlena, meanwhile, notices right away how close brian and xeno are. she doesn't really understand what a qpr is, but she does process that xeno is very important to brian and he would clearly do pretty much anything to keep them safe. so in her mind, xeno immediately becomes a target (which is what brian was afraid of and why he wanted her to leave before xeno got home), the idea being that if she can convince xeno to go along with what she wants and join the family business, brian will follow, and she'll have full control over him again like she was used to growing up. the problem with that plan being that xeno is extremely stubborn and strongly distrusts magic and has also already decided that they hate marlena's guts, so. convincing them to join the family is Not Going To Happen.

marlena and garrett want brian to come with them, and xeno is unwilling to let brian go anywhere with his family, but brian feels like he Has To go. marlena proposes that xeno can come along. brian is adamantly opposed to this idea, wanting to keep xeno away from his family for their own safety, but he won't defy his family enough to not go with them. and xeno also doesn't want to go, but isn't willing to leave brian, so they agree to come along.

after a stop at brian's family home to pick up some magic supplies as well as his younger sibling arlo (they/them), who is just old enough to begin going on these types of quests, they begin basically a Magical Road Trip. wherein xeno has their distrust of magic challenged, brian has his belief that he must obey his family challenged, and a whole lot of fun and interesting spoiler-y stuff happens in the effort to Save The World, from a threat it turns out the likes of which have not been seen in living memory.

i am currently almost done with the plotting stage for this story, and then i plan to write it, edit it, and start looking for an agent!! i have been writing (mostly fantasy novels) for almost nine years now, and i think between the amount i've developed my writing skills, the hook for the story, and my level of investment in this story, i'm ready to try and get published. so. the goal is for this to be an actual real book that people can buy, sometime within the next few years. we'll see how it goes!!

#xeno and brian #peregrin said a thing #froggybxy

[am-artist]

the wilds s2 e5 discussion (tw SA from previous ep)

i really did not need for josh to go through this man

seth being the inside man sure is a choice. now i wonder what kind of fucked in the head he is to have agreed to the role and done what he did to josh, since it clearly was not part of some scheme.

also, this makes 2/4 operatives who have siblings in their control groups, which feels wild considering you’d think they get found out instantly. luckily for gretchen both sibling pairs have massive underlying tension ig!

still do not care about gretchen can we cut back faster

rachel getting to a place where nora’s funeral being suggested while we’re still stuck with 0 body is making me think that she is not in fact dead.

is shelby losing her faith? is that what we’re getting here?

kirin may yet be the #true leader of the group, which is kind of annoying considering what a macho chad type he’s been presented as thus far. stil glad the others are making an effort re josh despite how annoying he is (esp w the tryhard lib backfire racism).

so far gretchen’s inside agents have 1) died 2) ‘died’ 3) purposefully sabotaged the whole operation after assaulting another candidate and 4) been her shitty son, so that’s another point for the “gretchen is a total flop” argument. absolutely incompetent.

45 days in is ig a time to discuss what people back home think about their missing daughters. fun times.

gretchen name-drop! woopsie! (everyone immediately looking at leah after this reveal is so funny)

kirin at least believes josh. future besties set up ig.

again narratively i just do not enjoy the way the SA is inevitably going to destroy any authentic dynamics that could have arisen between the group esp re leadership. the tensions that breed just of the clashes of personalities and approaches are so much more compelling to me than the constant gross tension coming from this shared secret.

henry holding out on the #establishment is very in-character. and him just saying the lyrics to black parade…… is so funny to me. im sorry.

bad skin on the girlies, applause again for the MUAs

shelby’s internal drama is… painful. not painful enough to make me forget she put out that fire two eps ago tho!

oh wait shes going there too. oh fuck.

wow okay toni is so accepting. i do not think i would have been the bigger person so easily. but then again yes the likelihood of the boat spotting their tiny campfire is low.

oh the guys are having this confrontation NOW already?? i was not mentally prepared to have to sit through this debacle.

the boys are all acting exactly as i would have expected which makes the whole thing even more mystifying to me. so they deal with this within the space of one episode, and now that’s just lying there between them hanging over everything else they do. it really doesn’t feel like this served any greater purpose than being a twist villain reveal, at the cost of more natural character evolutions. & from an audience pov anyone interacting w seth now makes me like skin-crawly uncomfortable which is def intentional but doesn’t make me want to watch a lot of the guys’ segments. now hes been banished i assume he has to go into straight villain mode, but having an explicit antagonist to bond against makes the guys have a less interesting island life. and flattens seth out too obv but fuck his character.

random note i feel for henry bc seth *is* family but also it feels like their backstory may involve some badness by the way he reacts to this whole situation.

kirin did come thru tho thank u kirin.

as for josh i hope hes going to do well after this display of solidarity even tho he is very understandably traumatised & not happy abt the way this affects the group’s relationship to him (i will say this for this storyline i do think from josh pov it handles male SA sympathetically and realistically). & it makes sense that no one says anything abt this now, even for as reluctant to discuss it i would assume them all to be about it anyways.

future josh makes me not super confident he evolves positively from here tho.

+ sidenote i do enjoy kirin and ivan acting as opposite energy team parents despite josh not particularly appreciating either approach in the moment.

love the amount of rachel introspection this season but wish it wasnt all about her presumed dead sister. the character has so much inner conflict.

fatin going leah mode (more successfully than leah) is good stuff

welp called it. nora girl i get it but WOW have you done a lot that i would not forgive you for putting me through if i was your sister. hoping this was not your choice

#the wilds #the wilds s2 #the wilds spoilers

[sasayego]

:0 hai, unsure if ur doing batfam matchups but haii.

im unlabled for both gender n sexuality n use any prns

blk puerto rican and indigenous puerto rican🇵🇷🇵🇷‼️‼️ very big on my culture i love sharing my cultural history and food🤤🤤

uhhm im 5”5, my aesthetic varies between y2k, streetwear, maybe a little emo, and mostly earth girl , lotta earth tones. i wear a lot of jewelry and prefer tight clothes (not like leggings n shit adhd wont let me) . i got curly hair, i like wearing it down but for the sake of consistency and my sanity i style it whenever the curls ain curlin.

my personality NGL, m’ fucking amazing at messing around, i make people laugh pretty easy but im also very big on making people feel safe and comfortable. im mostly reserved when i first people, on my protecting my peace shit, and if im rockin with people—i wont open up quickly but in an appropriate timeframe if that makes sense

( very big on baby steps in ANNYY kind of relationship )

im very big on growing as a person, i think facing flaws and issues are so fucking important. im very big on self preservation, whicchh maayy or maayy not lead to massive consistency/dependency/commitment issues but like ill cross that road when i get there

I fucking love philosophy, psychological horror, history, sci-fi,( BLADE RUNNER 2049 COUGH COUGH,), history, mythology, and ive been dabbling in poetry lately, not my strongest suit but one of those things im still interested in.

Massive hyperfixation on Regular Show and Adventure Time for the way they tackle topics on growing up. hyperfixation on the book Annihilation by Jeff Vandameer and THE MOVIE “BLADE RUNNER 2049” BABBYYYYYYY

just really into media that has a lot of care put into it

also super big on music like actually listening and caring about music, mostly r&b, hip hop, jazz, rap, n KENDRICK FUCKIN LAAMMAARRR

i also have an UNHOLY hyperfixation on pokemon unite, and splatoon (700+ hours on splat😔)

i kinda need someone to ground me / bring me back to homebase. I take on a lot and burn myself out kinda quick, im hard working and have the “fuck it we ball” mentality. also probably need someone who can make me chill out when im having anxiety, get tha’ shit for no reason sometime.

m’ really good with people that genuinely wanna change their life for the better, who are ready to break cycles and start new ones, on some the only way to go after hitting rock bottom is up shit. on some lets go soul searching together shit.

nnnn’yywayy dunno what else to put thats it i guess

DAMIAN WAYNE

you want someone to ground you? you’re in luck! damian will never hesitate humbling or grabbing someone from the clouds at any time. he just likes to remind people that they’re not the invincible god they sometimes might think they are

unironically, i see damian hearing r&b for the first time and going like “this is not half bad. show me more like this”. i have a feeling that for some kendrick lamar songs, he’d just go 😐

hardworking together tho ooh. late night cram sessions while he works and you’re doing your job or what we. he likes helping (doing it) for you

“no, this is how you do it” and you know that he just loves helping you—even though eventually, this just leads to witty banter

soul searching? girl…you know damian is not gonna do that shit. “what the hell is the point” is gonna be said in a lot of it but he’d do it like once or twice with you

he’d so agree with you on media with a lot of thought. damian wouldn’t watch things unless they’re genuinely good so you know movie nights are gonna be amazing

that’s why everyone in the batfam chooses you two to pick movies for movie nights

also damian is half white and one fourth Arabic and one fourth east asian I think so there will be clashing cultures—both of you will learn something new off each other and joint holiday celebrations 🫶🫶

also safe and comfortable!! fuckkk you know damian needs someone like that. he needs someone to tell him it’s gonna be okay, that he can feel happy around and like he can trust you. the first step into damian wayne’s heart is trust

#damian wayne #dc universe

[redwineconversation]

Lyon - ASSE Pregame Thoughts

It's always interesting to me when people talk about Lyon - ASSE as though it is some sort of rivalry because while I will concede you should only wear green in London, the results don't really justify it as a proper "rivalry". For me Lyon - ASSE is on the same level as I guess Barcelona / RM, Chelsea / West Ham (I say, as though I find the WSL of any type of interest), that sort of thing - yeah in principle I get it, but the reality is the calibre of the two teams are completely different.

A proper rivalry isn't just about beating the other team, it's about seeing a part of yourself in them and that is what makes you recoil in horror. Barcelona - RM (fem) just can't be considered a proper rivalry because the reality is RM is just too new as a team. I don't think you can really consider it a Clasico in the way that Lyon - PSG is, or a clash of egos as is Chelsea - Arsenal. Lyon - Barcelona isn't even a Clasico in my sense of the term because Lyon has always beaten Barcelona, and the inferiority complex Barcelona displays when playing Lyon outweighs any real sense of bad blood.

What I am saying, if we're talking rivalry, there has to be a proper sense of bad blood. There has to be history but it cannot be one-sided. They have to be equal in some shape or form. Monsters recognize monsters for a reason.

And ASSE is not a monster.

Well, at least in theory.

In practice it's a bit more complicated, and that's why I am a bit puzzled at people saying that this game is going to be a walkover. Games against ASSE go one of two ways: Lyon stomps all over them or it is their worst performance of the season. There is no in between.

Some of it has to do with ASSE's block: they basically park the bus in front of goal and pray they can hold out as long as possible. And sometimes it works! People seem to have quite the selective memory and forget that Lyon drew 1-1 against ASSE in the 2021-2022 season, and just recently PSG only beat ASSE 1-0. (Does that mean that Man Utd is only as good as newly promoted D1 team? Food for thought)

The point is, ASSE knows how to get the job done, even if it's in an extremely ugly manner. Park the bus long enough, pray hard enough, and eventually frustration will get the better of any team.

But. But ASSE's coach still basically begged Bompastor to field her strongest lineup, and the team selected for this game is basically as strong as it will get with the exception of Cascarino still being out due to injury. This is Lyon's heavyweights, which were missing in the 1-1 draw in 2021-2022.

But will Lyon's fire power be enough to break down ASSE's renown block? That's something I am a little bit more on the fence about. Lyon relies a lot on quick passing and intuitive decision making. Know what you want to do out of sheer muscle memory. The problem is when you can't execute because there is no space to pass to. If ASSE park the bus, as they are known to do, then it will affect Lyon's style of play.

I'm also curious about whom Bompastor puts as the No. 10. So far this season her decision-making has been predictable: van de Donk gets the high-intensity games, Marozsan gets the quieter games.

So which one is the ASSE game? Realistically, it's a bit of both. To keep the pressure on Paris FC's goal difference this needs to be a high intensity game; with ASSE's block the way it is, it's not going to be. Marozsan is the better playmaker in the traditional sense of the term but van de Donk will get the job done, albeit in unconventional manners sometimes.

So it'll be interesting to see how this game plays out. There's an incentive for Lyon to come out and flex, as they are known to do when feeling particularly vexed, but ASSE's history speaks for itself, even if it only in the history books.

#all good love stories start in the rain

[zodiacrant]

🍩My experiences with each Moon sign🍩

(Cause yall are messy)

I have done this a few times before but for Sun signs and did rank placements but never shared my thoughts and experiences with the Moon signs.

Now I know how this goes, so if you get mad or sad then go off I guess. Aint the first time I get cursed out or attacked in this bitch. Plus, I am a Cap moon so naturally I won’t do well with some Moons and I will be nitpicking everything about everyone.

🍩Aries Moon🍩

My dad’s moon. Yup, that tells you alot without me even starting. Having our Moons in Square shit was hard to say the least. It took a long time for us to be on middle grounds and because I don’t feel comfortable talking about my problems here I will continue on. The Aries Moon that I really like and can think of is Rihanna, so I would say it’s unfair to make a whole judgment but from what I saw and heard they’re not exactly the best to be around. So I give them a 3/10 for being bold and having nerve.

🍩Taurus Moon🍩

Now this Moon right here I know people from ( a close friend and my sister, plus some others) and I don’t have many strong opinions about it. As a Taurus Sun, it can be a challenge to work with a Taurus Moon. I am stubborn at my core and they’re stubborn with their heart, so everytime we disagree it’s like a rope pulling contest. Way too stagnant for me but I think that’s because of my other placements and they don’t take any advice or open up no matter what. On to the good, I never disliked someone with this placement. No matter how much of an asshole they can be, to me it is difficult to hate them or stay mad at them. They’re warm, kind, and sweet but a bit aloof and naive, also they don’t like to touch and hug as some people might think. I will give them a 8/10

🍩Gemini Moon🍩

(⚠️TW⚠️ mention of rape and erratic behavior)

I only had one best friend with this placement and I don’t I want to meet any more, and I am at peace with that if they resemble her in any way. She was a maniac. She loved to lie, create drama, blow shit up, act crazy and basically be shocking. I do find similarities with Gemini Sun where they do shit for reactions but with her, she will take it to the next level. Lie about being raped, act possessed, or pretend that she is being followed. It’s not fair to associate her with people who share the same Moon as her but that was y’all’s representation in my life. She was erratic so it’s difficult to see where her Moon was in effect and where she was just off. I’ll give them a 1/10, would not recommend until proven otherwise.

🍩Cancer Moon🍩

The first that comes to my mind is Taylor Swift and to me she is the ultimate Cancer Moon. It juat makes sense how fast she takes it to the next level with people. Whether getting serious quickly with someone or throwing down and feuding. She just always at a 100. Personally, I never got close with someone who has this placement, maybe it’s because I am a Capricorn Moon myself, but I would say the ones that I have met were nice. I’ll give them a 5/10

🍩Leo Moon🍩

I only had one best friend with this placement but the people I have met with this Moon I still remember. They all had one thing in common and that was being emotionally traumatized and have lost one parent. My best friend was super loyal, very confident in what they believed in and represented, were always there for me and had an amazing ability in motivating others. But they were also super prideful and there’s no coming back with them. Fight once and it’s over. (Yes I am looking at you Jonnie). One of the other people was with me in uni and always had the to urge won up me and my friend. He had scars all over and he doesn’t remember how he got them. But he was super proud of himself and his home country, which I respect and admire. I’ll give them a 6/10

🍩Virgo Moon🍩

I know two people with this placement, my mom and a professor at uni, and oh boy it makes sense that they’re a Virgo Moon. Me and my mom are too alike that we clash strongly at times. She thinks she can do it better and I think I can do it better and we just have like a competition on who done it better basically. From cooking, to how you light the stove, to how you put on clothes, to how you lay down on bed. Both my mom and my professor are super critical and precise, althogh my professor is a double Virgo (Sun and Moon) so she will go even further. They have to do everything as it arises and act like there’s no time and everything is about to go wrong. Like damn sis chill the fuck out for a sec and this is coming from a Cap moon so you know it’s bad. But I really like Virgo Moon, even though people might hate such a personality but I can relate to them in some ways. I’ll give them 7/10

🍩Libra Moon🍩

My only online friend that I talk to all the time got this Moon. Other than her I met only two people and they were something. Okay so for my friend, because I never actually have seen her physically with my own eyes I can’t say how she acts all the time, but she is one of the best listeners I had in my life. She likes to hear me ramble for an hour about a dumb encounter that lasted a second, talking about astrology and some nerdy things and then not so nerdy things. I believe that it’s a Libra Moon quality to be emotionally versatile and attentive. I think because she is a Leo dominant she acts much fiery and fiercely than a Libra would. As for the other people I just thought they were fake. One acted as a friend but then would just disappear so I was over it quickly and the other was super passive and pretentious that I think she shits out plastic. All in all I think it’s a great Moon. I’ll give them a 7/10

🍩Scorpio Moon🍩

One of the hardest Moons I ever delt with but I find that I love them too. My oldest sister had this Moon and she is such a mystery. Because I am a Taurus Sun, it is only natural for me to have a hard time with a Scorpio Moon. Even though she is an extrovert, she rarely talks about herself and her feelings, you will never catch her slipping or show vulnerability. I can see how difficult it may be for her being a Cancer with a Scorpio Moon and have Gemini dominance. But she’s a bitch at heart and I am cool with it. I’ll give them 5/10 cause I am not a big fan of paradoxical people

🍩Sagittarius Moon🍩

A moon that I always babysat. I had two best friends with this Moon and if I was born a second earlier, it would mine too. I don’t know if it’s because of my Gemini Venus or my 0 degree Capricorn Moon but I love Sagittarius Moons. I was fortunate to see some of their weaknesses and for them to trust me enough to be vulnerable. But boy do they get themselves into the dumbest situation because they wanted to see what would happen. I had to babysit them and help them do everything like shopping, cooking, cleaning, assembling furniture, be their body guard when buying weed. (Shhhh it’s a secret). They’re in many ways immature cause they run from things and everytime you try to be real with them, they say “stop being negative”. I’ll give them a 9/10

🍩Capricorn Moon🍩

The grande dame of the Moon signs, sitting at it’s opposite planet. I have met many Cap Moons and honestly we are bitches 😂. The energy of sitting next to a Capricorn Moon is too fucking much like I never knew it’s like that. I noticed the way they stare, talk, walk and sit can be so aggressive and intimidating. I see why people might label us as bullies, cause the energy is definitely there and I myself was such a cunt (still a little but I am more aware of myself now) that I get where both are coming from. Life as a Capricorn Moon is emotionally flat. If wasn’t for my other placements you will never see me even flinch. I think we just take everything and let it process in our head before we let it into our hearts. So to me, we’re not mean, we just don’t see how something might be hurtful. But also that tone and that blank face, goddam! That’s why I try to smile cause bitch no, I didn’t know I was walking with a death stare this whole time. Anyways, I will give us 10/10 cause I am self appreciative like that 😂✌️

🍩Aquarius Moon🍩

I have always tried to understand Aquarius Moon and it was only a month ago that I have realized they themselves are not sure of who they’re. I had one best friend with this placement and three cousins (all siblings). First, my cousins are super competitive with each other on who gets to do what and if it happens that they’re similar in something they will get pissed. The person that was my best friend was like that as well. Only he would drop a an entire hobby, interest, something close to his heart, shit even a personality trait. I find them to be constantly changing and trying, so they shift between one end of extreme to the other until they center themselves. I’ll give them a 4/10

🍩Pisces Moon🍩

Now let’s talk about a depressing placement, in my opinion of course 😅. I don’t know if it’s the influence of Neptune on the Moon or is it the just the demeanor of Pisces, but good god girl get a grip (they call this the five G’s). My youngest sister is a Pisces Moon, and as creative as she is, she is pessimistic and overly cynical. I mean I am all for being critical and real but looking at everything with jacked up black sprayed glasses is just too much for me. Other than my sister I don’t know any Pisces Moon very well but I had a few acquaintances. I noticed that they talked about a specific thing and that’s it. I have found them to be amazing at drawing, painting and have an incredible artistic sense. At times twisted and dark, but I love the art that comes with it. I’ll give them a 5/10

Here’s the tea. It’s Pisces season so remember I am sensitive right now, and also it’s my life and I wish I met someone as amazing as you might think you’re. (Maybe that was a little too aggressive)

Okay love you ❤️

#zodiac rant #zodiacrant #zodiac #taurus #signs #zodiac signs #astrology #astro #moon #moon signs #moon sign #aries moon #taurus moon #gemini moon #cancer moon #leo moon #virgo moon #libra moon #scorpio moon #sagittarius moon #capricorn moon #aquarius moon #pisces moon

[mandoalorian]

Javier Peña SFW Alphabet

Because the world needs more soft!Javi.

Warnings: 16+. allusions to sex, depression mention, cigarettes mention, alcohol mention, food mention.

Masterlist

Reblogs appreciated!

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

So, Javi hates PDA. It makes him cringe. Javier can be pretty affectionate but only when you two are alone and spending private one-on-one time with each other. However, if he sees another pair of eyes on you, he can get protective pretty quick. He’ll guide you around with his hand placed on the small of your back, and he’s not afraid to slap your ass if it means he gets to assert his dominance.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

I mean, just look at Javier & Steve. Javi is an amazing best friend. He’s hilarious, and always jokes around, although most of the time, his humour can be quite dark and self deprecating. None the less, he’s super funny and never fails to make you laugh. He’s perfect to have around when you need to be cheered up. He’s also super supportive and will constantly look out for you. If you’ve fucked up and made a mistake, Javi will take the blame and have your back. You don’t even have to ask him. He really steps up for you.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

At first? No. Javi struggles to show his feelings, and he’s not the biggest hopeless romantic, as you might’ve guessed. He’s never really given out cuddles (or hugs for that matter), but if you’ve been together for a couple of months and you’re going steady, he doesn’t have an issue with getting into it. He learns to really like cuddles. Especially after sex.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

He has no interest in getting married. Never has, never will. He doesn’t see the point in a piece of paper from city hall to confirm that you two love each other. As long as he can feel it, in his heart, that’ll be good enough for him. But if you absolutely want to get married, he’ll allow it. It won’t be a big ceremony though. Maybe just a few guests and a store bought cake. He doesn’t like the fuss. He doesn’t cook, ever. He had a pretty bad diet that consists of snacking on chips at the bar or ordering take-out. He has a cleaner too.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Honestly? Javier can be pretty brutal. If you’ve hooked up just a few times and he’s lost interest, he’ll probably just not call you back. If you’ve been together a while, he’s gonna be really torn up about breaking up with you. He’ll be sulking and moody for a few days and you’ll know that somethings up. Then he’ll go distance and ghost you, hiding out in a few motel bars leaving you worried about where he is. When you find him, there’s a big fight and he snaps and tells you he wants to end it all. When he misses you, he’ll pick up a girl from the brothel who looks similar enough to you, and he’ll think of you while he fucks her. He feels gross about it, but it’s just what he does.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Oh Lord, Javier has the biggest commitment issues. He’s terrified, as we seen with Lorraine. It’s gonna take a lot for him to settle down. He tries to reassure you that it’s not your fault and it’s a problem he needs to work out himself. It might take Javi a few years of steadily dating before his commitment issues become resolved, but as long as you’re willing to wait for him, he’ll be happy.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

He’s definitely rough at first — in every way you can imagine. But you teach him how to be more gentle and considerate, both with yourself and the people around him. He can be pretty blunt which can cause a lot of hurt sometimes. When he sees that you’re upset though, he will show a surprising softer side. He’ll wrap his arm around you and smooth out your hair, and he’ll lull you to sleep by whispering sweet nothings into your ear.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

The first time you hug Javi, he stiffens up completely. He has no idea how to react. The last time he received a hug must’ve been from his mom when he was still just a young boy. He often gives you hugs though, especially when you’re seeking comfort. Javier has big strong arms and he holds you so right. He runs at your flesh in soothing motions and he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck. You can always smell the honeyed scent of his cologne, and cigarettes, when he hugs you. But you wouldn’t trade the feeling for the world.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

You’re probably going to say it first... and that’s okay! Javier does love you, he knows that for sure. It’s just... it can be hard for him to actually admit it and come to terms with it (with his commitment issues and all). You assure him it’s okay and he can take his time. But he ends up not taking long at all. Once you tell him you love him, his whole world feels complete and it’s suddenly pretty easy for him to tell you that he loves you back.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

To be honest, Javi is pretty confident in a relationship. No woman has ever left him before. So, he doesn’t get too jealous. Besides, other men know better than to get too close to you because Javier isn’t afraid to throw a punch or two. He is, by nature, extremely protective, though.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

So passionate. A clash of tongues and teeth. He often moans into your mouth and the vibrations from that alone are enough to send shivers down your spine. When he kisses you, he struggles to keep his hands to himself. With Javier, kisses often lead to making out which often leads to sex. He loves to kiss you anywhere. Along your jaw, down your neck and the valley of your breasts. He’s a biter too (this is canon). He loves to nibble at your skin and give you little lovebites.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Surprisingly decent. Kids aren’t his favourite thing in the world, and he does his best to avoid them, but on an occasion where he finds himself with a child, he can handle them pretty well. Olivia Murphy loves her uncle Javi.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Weekdays are the worst because Javi has to head to work pretty early. Weekends though? You and Javier will sleep in until around midday, just lounging in each other’s arms and basking in the morning sunlight as it seeps through your curtains. It’s soft and sweet and almost always results in morning sex. You and Javi find yourself indulging in tired conversations and soft touches as you both fall in and out of sleep.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Javier will be drinking beer or whiskey and the two of you will mostly likely be on his sofa, watching a movie together. Fancy dinners aren’t his style but he likes to treat you to them now and again on date night. And trust me when I say you two will be going at each other until the early hours of the morning.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

He’s an enigma to everyone he meets, and this doesn’t exclude you. It can be exhausting at first— how much he keeps to himself. He doesn’t talk about his childhood, or what he did at work today. He talks about very little. But once you express to him that you wish he’d be more open and vulnerable with you, he tries. He really does try. In the end, he’s a lot more confident and can talk to you about practically anything.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

He has 0 patience, as we see on stakeouts. He gets angry and frustrated super fast. He’s not too loud and he’s rarely a shouter, but when he’s pissed, you’re sure to know about it.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

It’s going to take him about three years for him to remember your birthday. But he remembers the exact shirt you were wearing the night you and him met. He forgets your mom’s name, but he remembers the brand name of the perfume that’s displayed on your dresser. Point is, he remembers very menial and silly things about you. Sometimes, he’ll bring up a random fact about you that he’s remembered and it’ll truly surprise you. Even though he struggled to remember the important things, you find is so endearing how he remembers the smaller and finer things.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

The first time you and Javi slept together, something just hit him like a ton of bricks. He’s slept with plenty of women, that much is clear, but with you, it was different. Right from the start, something felt different, and he couldn’t quite place his finger on what it was. Truth be told, it terrified him... this unknown feeling. But it excited him too, and only spurred him on more. It takes him a while to realise, but that feeling was love. That was the night he fell in love with you. And so for that reason, yours and Javi’s first time is his favourite memory.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Very protective. There’s no reason to elaborate. Due to the nature of his job and the shit he sees on a day to day basis, he makes you his number one priority. If anything ever happened to you, he couldn’t ever forgive himself. So he’s constantly at your neck and call. Anything you need, he will provide.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Javier is pretty low maintenance. Like I said, he will occasionally take you out for a meal at a fancy restaurant, but this is usually for anniversary dates. He’s taken a liking to going to the movies with you, and he also loves to go dancing with you in nightclubs. Javi’s job is well paid and he has a surprisingly good eye for jewellery. He always picks you out the most beautiful diamonds. You worry about him spending too much on you, though.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Smoking. You don’t like the smell of it. And when he has one too many beers. He tries to cut down though, for you.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Yeah, he looks after himself. He keeps himself well groomed. He even has a little toothbrush he uses to comb his moustache.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

He really, really would. Say you and Javi have had a big fight and you are both spending some time away from each other... he’ll be really struggling. You’re always there to ground him and make him feel safe. He never realised how much needs you until you’re not with him anymore. He’d probably cry himself to sleep, but he’d never tell anyone.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

He has a vision. It’s a pretty distant vision, well into the future. But once he retires from the DEA, he’d love to take you back to Texas and show you his fathers farm. Maybe even have a farm with you someday. A suburban house with a white picket fence and dog. It’s the last thing you’d expect from Javi, but in a sense, he craves the normality of it all.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Uh, he doesn’t like drugs? DEA agent and all. He doesn’t like the rain because it ruins his hair and he hates the way his colourful shirts stick to his skin. You tell him it’s sexy, though. He doesn’t like big events where he has to see and interact with a bunch of people.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

He snores so loud. For the love of God, he needs to see a sleep therapist or some shit. Thankfully, you grow used to it, but you don’t know how he doesn’t wake himself up!

Permanent taglist: @paintballkid711 @supernaturalgirl @phoenixhalliwell @ah-callie @stardust-galaxies @wickedfrsgrl @goth-topic @nerdypinupcrystal  @kiwi-the-first @pedroepascal @castiel-barnes @honeymandos @rocketqueen  @dybalalover10 @girl-obsessed-with-things @elena-myth @moth-guillotine @pedro-pascal-love @hayley-the-comet @pinkninja200 @maxiarapamaya @autumnleaves1991-blog @artsymaddie @harrys-stan @kennedywxlsh @cripplingmoon @cheekygeek05 @mrschiltoncat @rye-flower @theamuz @persie33 @sleepylunarwolf @martellthemandalor @pedro-pastel @steeevienicks @rrtxcmt @saphic-susperia @ladyjenny19 @readsalot73 @softmedics @jade10077 @dodgerandevans @planetariumx​

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader #javi peña #javi pena #javi peña x reader #javier pena #javier peña x reader #javier peña #narcos #jose pedro balmaceda pascal

[yeolmae-s]

a chanbaek analysis from a veteran exo-l (part 2)

CLICK HERE TO READ PART ONE

Writing this was a bit harder in comparison to the first part, because I wanted to organize things into a neat timeline, but I ended up not having enough patience for it lol specially because both of ChanBaek's main archive blogs seem to have deleted their pages documenting each date of EXO's early years. Therefore I apologize in advance if this part is a bit more messy. Also, please don't forget that all of this is my opinion and I don't mean for any of it to be taken as truth!

I kind of want to jump from MAMA era directly into Wolf era, since we don't really have a lot of cover regarding their debut phase besides Chanyeol's overeagerness and Baekhyun's awkwardness towards it, so to sum it up, I felt as if Chanyeol was more confident and consistent on what he thought an idol should act like, while Baekhyun (sweet, innocent Baekhyun who was a trainee for less than a year!) was still unsure on how to act on camera.

On the few early variety shows/interviews EXO appeared on, the members always pointed out how funny Baekhyun was, how good he'd be at variety and at doing imitations, but he never really lived up to all the praise on camera, although off of it, he most likely was as good as his members claimed.

He was a bit stiff on his early days in comparison to what we see today, and that's normal, I guess, since he debuted really quickly, but when you compare him to Chanyeol the contrast is so interesting, because the latter was able to latch on to a persona as soon as the public gave him one, while to me, Baekhyun was still doubtful regarding what to put on display. In the end, deep inside, Baekhyun is a private person, and was even more so when he wasn't confident enough to talk to fans like he does today.

Once again, I’m sorry for not being able to upload the gifs directly into the post, so I’ll just link them like I did on my last one.

This is another one of the moments where Baek appears to tell Chanyeol to just. Hold on for a bit.

There's another one similar to this where Chanyeol does the same thing (try to whisper on Baekhyun's ear) and Baekhyun fake laughs and stares at a fan's camera right after. Then, his expression just goes blank. It's really interesting to watch because you can just see the gears spinning on Chanyeol's brain as he stares at Baekhyun for a second and clearly thinks alright, fanservice time, and leans in to whisper something: it happens so fast you just know it wasn't genuine whispering, just a playful interaction for the fans, and Baekhyun's direct stare to the camera as soon as it happens just confirms this for me. 

1: Chanyeol spots his target.

2: He’s really thinking this through.

3: Baek's in a perfect position for whispering-time, so he leans in and does his thing.

4: Baekhyun laughs.

5: And stares directly at a fan's camera.

6: Immediately regrets his life choices. Chanyeol looks pleased.

It's actually better to watch the whole thing, so I'll leave it here. (starts on 0:28!)

(Random note: on this date EXO perfomed a cover of H.O.T's We Are The Future, and I feel like a lot of new EXO-Ls have not seem it and I adore this performance, so I'll link it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1-z4s3fdgo)

Now let's jump on to Wolf era, shall we?

Wolf era

I can't help but laugh when I think about how wild 2013 was for both EXO and EXO-Ls. They had their first hit song (which was Growl, not Wolf) the fandom grew considerably, shippers where just discovering the cute ISAC moments between "BaekYeol" and "HunHan"... Or at least that's how everyone remembers most of what happened during that year.

Are we forgetting the rumoured ChanBaek fight?

Considering their past interactions on airports, SMTOWN concerts, ISAC and other events, ChanBaek was now widely known to be close to each other. Baekhyun even said Chanyeol was the one who made him open up, and both of them mentioned feeling this "connection" to each other as soon as they met (although jokingly).

After Mama, the fandom was content-less for a considerable period of time, and what most people did was sharing around old performances and repeat overused memes.  I think that in every fandom there is a period where fans establish their main inside jokes and basically just get together to create a collective line of thought for perceiving their idols. That being said, one of the most well established facts in the fandom was that Chanyeol and Baekhyun were close. That was a fact.But then Wolf came, and they suddenly were not. 

This gif is a good example of how awkward their interactions were. Not even my delusional shipping brain in 2013 was able to come up with an explanation for it.

They simply did not acknowledge each other at all, and Chanyeol appeared to be closer to Kyungsoo (I think Baekhyun interacted a lot with Tao, but that may have been during the Growl era, not Wolf. As I said before, I'm a Chanyeol stan guys, sorry lmao).

Point is, these two boys who seemed to be best friends suddenly were clearly distant from one another.

What added fuel to the fire of the rumours was their appearance on Sukira, a radio show, where Sehun cried because the members sometimes had fights. Here's a fanacc:

[130530] EXO at Sukira

Sehun cried because the members sometimes fight.

Sehun: "Let's be loyal to each other, don't fight, and go until the end"

D.O: "We've been under a lot of stress lately because of the comeback, so I wish we won't fight in the future and do our best"

Here's a video cut of this part of their interview. 

I think this ask on lets-talk-baekyeol, a popular ChanBaek analysis blog from back in the day, shows how curious a lot of fans were.

What happened back then?

There's really no answer for that. On my opinion, not even Chanyeol or Baekhyun could give us a concrete answer on it, because I don't think an actual fight happened. For me, it was most likely a personality clash, a disagreement that probably wasn't even voiced out loud, just both of them noticing how uncomfortable things got, if Baekhyun's reactions to Chanyeol's fanservice is any indication. I somehow doubt there was a specific episode that created this distance between them, specially because during Growl, they went back to being friends, although not as touchy on camera as before, as if one of them had established their limits (oh, I wonder who!), but I still have this feeling that all of this was unspoken, because unspoken things seem to be a pattern on ChanBaek's relationship (something I'll touch on later, hopefully).

But it was during Growl era that I noticed something else about Baekhyun.

Wolf era

EXO'S Showtime was a such a gift. I recommend reading lets-talk-baekyeol's blog for this. I don't really agree with everything they say they do present a lot of relevant points. I may repeat them here, since I noticed them myself as well, but credits for them nonetheless.

I remember finding the lack of ChanBaek interactions during the episodes really dissappointing, but considering the Wolf Era drought, this was better than nothing.

My 13 year old self was devastated when Baekhyun appeared so quiet during Chanyeol's birthday episode, and during a recent rewatch of it, I think realized why.

Baekhyun doesn't like superficial things. It's not that Chanyeol is insincere, but he's just better than Baekhyun is at handling people pleasing, even when he doesn't really mean what's he saying/doing. The Chanyeol birthday episode was heavily centered on Chanyeol's random admiration for Kai, which I think we can all agree that it was a little bit scripted or a really spur of the moment thing that they just ran along with and oh man. Baekhyun did not want to be part of it.

During ChanKai's hug, this is what he looked like on the background, and the poor boy even refused to eat cake. He's just in the back, which is weird, because he's such a talkative person and Chanyeol is one of his closest friends. The only moment where he seems to be genuinely comfortable is when Chanyeol blows the candle and it's really cute. To me, it seems that he was kind of embarrassed to witness so much acting from everyone else and was unable to participate because he struggles with things like this, but the moment Chanyeol blows his candles to comemorate his birthday seems sincere enough for him to fondly smile.

This ties in so well with everything from Mama Era. He's just unable to keep acting/people pleasing on the same easy way that Chanyeol does, but this time he's not as nervous about it as he was on his earlier-early days, where he probably felt pressured to actually do stuff. Now he just doesn't do **it, he just doesn't do something that he dislikes doing, and that sadly creates a distance between them on camera and probably on a deeper level in their relationship as well, because both are just realizing how different their perceptions over their jobs is.

There's also this moment that the mods on lets-talk-baekyeol pointed out.

On the Christmas episode, when the members leave the couch to go get their presents, Chanyeol stays seated while Baekhyun gets up to fetch his. This is the sitting arrangement before (almost) everyone got up:

But when Baekhyun comes back, there's free space next to Chanyeol, however he's hesitant to sit by his side. He actually hesitates and doesn't sit down. Jongdae even gives him a little push right after.

Baek just seems hesitant to do things on camera, to interact with Chanyeol in front of an audience. For this moment, I feel like he's afraid to sit next to Chanyeol and end up having to over act. It's not that Chanyeol himself makes him uncomfortable, but the image of the friendship that they ended up creating for fans demands a lot from him.

And when I say hesitant to do things on camera, I really do mean it, because when Baekhyun thinks he is not being recorded/seen, here's what he does:

Here and here.

Their relationship clearly changed, and I think the reason for it is actually simple: both of them were under the impression that they were compatible with each other when they actually were not. Their personalities are extremely different, even if the way they present themselves is sometimes similar. Wolf and Growl era was our way, as fans, of watching them navigate around each other and finding out how their relationship was supposed to work.

And you know what's nice about that? The members watched all of it unfold. Their reactions to some of ChanBaek's interaction is a gold mine when it comes to analyzing them, because they clearly know, just as we do, that their relationship is kind of complicated. But I want to talk about it on the next part.

I am sorry for cutting this off again! I don't know if the next part is going to be the last, because after Growl there's Overdose and we all know what happened on 2014 [coughs] dating scandal [coughs] god help me I don't want to talk about it [coughs] so there's a lot to uncover and I need time to organize stuff.

Thank you for reading!

#chanbaek #baekyeol #baekhyun #chanyeol #park chanyeol #byun baekhyun #exo #kpop

[herinsectreflection]

Faith, Buffy, Dreams, and Secret Kisses

This is one of my favourite scenes in the series. Partially because it’s just my personal jam - I admit that I am Fuffy trash, and I have a real love for dream sequences. Buffy had great dream sequences, but this is where they take a step up. It’s a precursor to Restless in this regard and others. It feels weighty and meaningful, but also a little off and incongruent with itself, in that way that only dreams are. Lines are exchanged that don’t quite follow as direct responses to each other, clashing in interesting ways. It’s packed with foreshadowing, metaphor, and other juicy things. And beyond that, it’s a conclusion to Buffy’s entire arc this season about dealing with her shadow self, and it leads to what I think is the single most romantic moment in the series. I want to talk about this scene and unpack some of what I think it’s saying.

First of all, let’s talk about the setting. We’re in Faith’s apartment, bought for her by the Mayor. Essentially, the villain’s lair, where the two Big Bads plotted their evil plans against our hero. But it’s also a set where we saw most of the bonding and semi-familial love between Faith and the Mayor. A place of both evil and love. And for Buffy, a place of trauma. This is where she makes the decision and takes the action to kill another human. I don’t think she was unjustified in doing so, but it’s still an immensely traumatic act for her, and I think she loses a little part of herself when she does it. The location is very much a reflection of Faith, and Buffy’s relationship to her. I don’t think Buffy loves Faith romantically at this point, but I think she cares about her, and remains concerned about her, and I think it’s fair to call that a kind of love. Faith is also evil, a figure of betrayal but also temptation to the “dark side”. And she is also a figure of trauma, clear deep-seated trauma that she fails to resolve, and just gets worse over the course of the season. Buffy is essentially inside her own relationship to Faith, inside a stadium of sin, trauma, love, and shattered glass. Faith looks out of the broken window that they fought through, and we are reminded that their relationship too is broken, unrepaired, littered with the detritus of conflict. There’s no going back from this - even in dreams that window remains broken, and their relationship will always have this damage.

The props too are an interesting choice. TPN’s video on Graduation Day pointed out the painting of a giant snake with a man’s head on the wall. More conflicting feelings here - the Mayor is Faith’s closest connection to humanity and love right now, and also the reason for her betrayal of Buffy. Her redemption and damnation. We also see boxes of various things piled up - including the crossbow that Faith stole in Bad Girls. The image of packing up a room into boxes makes me think of moving away as a student. We must remember that Buffy is graduating today, on the verge of packing her life away and taking it somewhere else, and this reminds us of that.

The first thing of real substance we see is the cat, which jumps up on Faith’s bed. This is one of the aspects of this dream in direct conversation with Restless, where a cat symbolises the Slayer - a specifically feminine, solitary predator that stalks the night. In Restless, we cut to Miss Kitty stalking the camera from shots of the First slayer stalking Willow. Here though, the intercut images are between the cat and Faith, lying bruised and helpless in a hospital. The cat (and the Slayer) is, as far as Buffy is concerned, not a danger but a creature in need of help.

Buffy: "Who's going to look after him?" Faith: "It's a she. And aren't these things supposed to take care of themselves?"

They’re very clearly talking about their respective approaches to slaying, and to life in general. Buffy tries to encourage ties to humanity, telling Faith back in Revelations that she is on Faith’s side. Faith retorts that she alone is on her side, and she repeats that sentiment here. But Buffy is obviously proved right - Faith is lying almost dead because she rejected all help and care.

Buffy: "A higher power guiding us?" Faith: "I'm pretty sure that's not what I meant."

If the cat is the Slayer in this conversation, then the “higher power guiding us” could refer to the Watchers. It makes sense that Buffy delivers this line with a little wry smile, given that she’s just resigned herself from the Council. This allows a little bit of ambiguity in their debate - Buffy has taken on a little bit of Faith’s advice in emancipating herself and so making herself as the Slayer more self-reliant. The show agrees that that too is the right move. A little independence is good and healthy. What Faith means when she talks about “taking care of herself” is not self-reliance or independence, but emotional hardness and self-marooning to avoid hurt. This is something that Buffy will continue to struggle with for the rest of the series. Faith is kind of right when she states that the Slayer is alone and must take care of herself, and it’s up to Buffy to find a healthy way of dealing with that.

"Oh yeah. Miles to go - Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0.”

The scene shifts a little, and we get some foreshadowing for Dawn (Little Miss Muffet), and for Buffy’s death (730 days from now). This is done with the the lighting too, as Faith faces the camera, and the light of the dawn hits her face, in a shot extremely similar to the end of The Gift.

Interestingly, Faith is repeatedly used in this way. In This Year’s Girl, Faith talks about “little sis coming” as she and Buffy make the bed in her first dream. In Restless, that scene gets a callback (”Faith and I just made that bed”), in a scene that ends with the most anvilicious foreshadowing (”Be back before dawn”), as well as a callback to the 7-3-0 line (”Oh, that clock’s all wrong”). In Graduation Day, Faith refers to Buffy as being “dressed up in big sister’s clothes”, however to me Faith has always felt more as being the “little sister” in this relationship. She looks up to Buffy yet is also deeply jealous of her. She wants to be Buffy, to have her friends, her life, the love of her mother. She’s kind of a precursor to Dawn in this respect, so it makes sense that she’s a prophet for her coming.

Slayers having prophetic dreams is well-established, so it makes sense that a dream shared by two slayers would allow them to prophesise a little further ahead in time. Faith hints at this, remarking "Sorry, it's my head. A lot of new stuff.". You have to wonder what other “new stuff” Faith is becoming aware of. Perhaps a new perspective on everything Buffy’s been saying all season. Sharing a mind temporarily is often helpful in seeing another’s point of view. Faith does seem unusually thoughtful as she looks out of the broken window and remarks "They are never going to fix this, are they?".

This is perhaps my favourite line in the scene. It’s a slight mislead, as it comes right as we get a flash of the cat-as-Faith in the foreground. So we assume it’s a reference to her own injuries, which she is expected to never recover from.

But the Faith that’s talking isn’t looking at her own body. She’s looking at the broken window. The symbol for her broken relationship with Buffy. She has become us, the audience, looking at Buffy and Faith and saying “boy, those crazy kids really are never going to work it out, are they?”. It’s true for Faith, it’s true for Faith&Buffy, and it’s true for Buffy herself. When that knife entered Faith’s gut, all three were irrevocably changed forever. You can never put back the life you had before after it’s broken like that. All you can do is take what you can work with, and try to make something new.

Buffy: "What about you?" Faith: "Scar tissue. It fades. It all fades." Buffy confirms that the previous line was not about Faith specifically by asking “what about you”, in a lovely expression of concern. After everything, Buffy does still care about Faith. Faith’s reply of “scar tissue” is an obvious reference to the literal wound she is now carrying (emphasised by the shot of the knife that Buffy sees afterwards), but it’s interesting that she gestures to her face when she says this. It feels like a reference to her entire self. If we accept Faith as Buffy’s shadow self, then “scar tissue” is an accurate description of her. As Buffy herself says, Faith is who she could be if her life was worse (or, perhaps, who she would be if she allowed the tragedies of her life to rule her). She is the part of Buffy’s unconscious self that is revealed after receiving violence. She is the physical proof of trauma. The self that remains after pain. 

Buffy: “Is this your mind or mine?” Again, hitting that note of symbiosis; emphasising how inextricably tied these two characters are. The lines between their psyches are blurred to the point of no longer existing. This is such an intimate moment, almost sexual, with Buffy and Faith unable to tell where their own mind ends and another begins. Imagine the intimacy of that - entering another’s mental space and allowing them into yours, so wholly that they become one and the same. It becomes a mutual recognition of unity and shared pain, and an affirmation of the eternal divisions between them.

I love the ambiguity of the “human weakness” line too. One way we are invited to read it is that Faith is doing a heel-face turn, and intentionally giving Buffy the means to defeat the Mayor. But we’re not allowed anything that easy, to wash away Faith’s sins with a quick redemption before the climax. Faith has miles to go before she can achieve that. It’s just as likely that Faith is talking about herself, and the human weakness that led her down a dark path, or that Buffy is talking about Faith through the Faith in her head, or Buffy is just working it out on her own, etc, etc. This is the information that saves the world, and I like that it remains an unknown. A permanent “maybe”, just as Buffy and Faith’s relationship is. 

Buffy: "How are you going to fit all this stuff?" Faith: "Not gonna. It's yours." Buffy: "I can't use all of this!" Faith: "Just take what you need. You're ready?"

As the scene reaches its climax, we see the most obvious recitation of the season’s themes. S3 is about Buffy coming into conflict with her own shadow self, and here the show tells us how she does that - by taking what she needs. I mentioned earlier that we saw the crossbow from Bad Girls, from the “want/take/have” scene. Here, Faith is telling her the same thing, but in a more healthy way. She cannot just hedonistically consume everything like a crazed id-monster, but she also cannot deny herself things that she needs. 

Most importantly, the “stuff” they are referring to is Faith’s, but as Faith says, it’s also Buffy’s. Everything that Faith is, Buffy is too, because she is her shadow self. Buffy must recognise this, accept it, and incorporate the shadow self into her own identity. She cannot be consumed by the shadow self and simply become Faith, allowing her shadow to consume her conscious personality (”how are you going to fit all this stuff?”). Instead she must recognise her dark mirror, and take the healthy parts, and integrate them into herself as an individual (”take what you need”).

It is at this point of healing and merging between Buffy’s self and shadow self that Faith reaches out, almost touches her in an action that feels so tender, and Buffy becomes conscious. She literally becomes her conscious self by making peace with her dream (unconscious self). She stands up, and walks over to Faith’s bed. This is the moment that their relationship all season has been leading to. She leans over, and places a kiss on her forehead.

This kiss is everything. It’s an act of thanks, as Buffy realises Faith may have given her what she needs to save the day (at the cost of Faith’s one familial figure). It is an act of service, as Buffy literally gives Faith the kiss she asked for when they started to fight in Graduation Day. It could also be an act of forgiveness. We know from I Only Have Eyes For You that forgiveness, Buffy learns, is done not because somebody deserves it, but because they need it. Faith at this point probably does not deserve it, does not want forgiveness (she wants to be punished), nor can she recognise it in her current state, but Buffy gives it anyway, adding another layer of heartbreak. It is given not for any purpose, but for its own sake.

Above all though, this is an act of recognition. We must consider the previous forehead-kiss that these two shared, back in Enemies, and Faith’s words directly before: “What are you gonna do, B, kill me? You become me. You're not ready for that, yet.” And in Graduation Day, just after Buffy stabs her: “You did it. You killed me.” And her words in the dream, just a few seconds ago: “You're ready?"

Now I don’t think that Buffy stabbing Faith to save Angel is morally equivalent to Faith voluntarily killing people to help an evil guy become a big snake. I don’t think the show wants us to think that either. But the line is firmly blurred. Angel says in Consequences that the act of taking a life will change Faith irrevocably, and Faith agrees. She sees herself as tainted from that point on, and if Buffy took her life, she would be tainted too. And though it’s understandable and morally defensible, there’s no doubt that a part of Buffy - her innocence - dies on that balcony when she sticks that knife in. That act is forever. The choice to do violence is permanent. 

So when Faith says “you killed me”, she is saying “you have become me”. She identifies a common nature in them. And when Buffy kisses her, returning it in the exact same way as when Faith first said those words, she is saying “I know”. She recognises and responds to Faith’s mirror by holding up one of her own. She matches similarity with similarity. She is finally “ready” to assimilate her shadow self, and does it by telling her shadow self that she sees her, and that she was right. 

The beautiful part of all this is that it is silent. Faith would’ve been aware of their unification in the dreamscape, since it was happening in both of their heads, but she has no way of knowing about this. I wonder if Buffy would ever tell her. I doubt it. This is the core of the Faith/Buffy tragedy. This is why I find this relationship so compelling. Buffy performs this act of recognition and devotion entirely in secret. It is a stolen kiss and a private confession. A whisper made to a sleeping lover. A letter written, sealed, stamped, and set on fire. It is an act of love and tenderness made entirely for its own sake, without witness or reward. 

This is the single most romantic moment of the show for me. In this show that in many ways about how when nothing you do matters, all that matters is what you do, what could be more romantic than this gentle kiss that changes nothing against this aching hole of violence and betrayal between them, but exists anyway, just because Buffy felt it needed to be done. It’s a silent moment that nobody but Buffy and us are privy to. Neither Faith nor the rest of the world will ever know it happened, but I know I for one will never forget.

#btvs #buffy summers #faith lehane #graduation day #fuffy #s3 #meta

[caciula-lui-burebista]

"All Sails Up!" book review

"Toate pânzele sus!" ("All Sails Up!") by Radu Tudoran is officially translated in English!!! When I read this book I was absolutely shocked at how amazing it was, I (at least) consider it to be the best Romanian book ever written. In fact, I think it's in my top 3 favorite books.

Below I'll leave my review and a link so you can purchase it/read a sample. The world needs to know about it!

Rating: 5+⭐/5

"All Sails Up!" is a novel about pure adventure, freedom and chasing dreams, with strong-willed and fleshed out, original characters that will make you cry with joy, frown, laugh with tears and look deep within yourself. The premise is about the Romanian Anton Lupan and his lifelong dream, an epic voyage to "The Land of Fire" in South America with his friend, Pierre Vaillant. The trouble comes when Pierre goes missing along with the ship they intended to sail, L'Esperance. Many years and struggles later, Anton finds the shipwreck of L'Esperance and understands that he needs to embark on the journey in that moment or he'll miss his chance.

Lupan then gathers a crew of reliable people and the author proceeds to take the reader in one of the most epic travels. It's like you'll see with your own two eyes sceneries from across the Mediterranean, Atlantic and South American places, described in such magical great detail. Not only that, but my general knowledge about seamanship, various cultures, traditions and history improved in no time. You go from Romania to Greece, Turkey, Arabian islands, France, Argentina, Chile and all the seas in between them. From the Muslim rituals in the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Istanbul to the cockfights in Buenos Aires, I now know a little bit more facts about many places on the Globe.

The crew is mainly from a Romanian background, but it also has characters from Turkey, Greece or the Middle East. It is really interesting to see the attitudes people had (and maybe still have) regarding other cultures and traditions. Despite minor misunderstandings, they all get along and understand each other, Radu Tudoran making a point in promoting multiculturalism and friendship between the nations. For example, Ismail, a Turk (which weren't very well seen by Romanians some time ago because of the Otoman Empire's domination), is one of the most beloved characters in Romanian literature, showing altruism and generosity.

The book also reflects some Romanian outlooks on life (settling with what you have earned for now, aspirations don't really have to be followed) clashing with unconventional ways of thinking, by the end all the characters realising that dreams are worth being transformed into reality and that coming out of your confort zone is actually liberating.

There's even a bit of a love story sub-plot which I found very sweet, not at all complicated and for me it felt like a break from all the problematic scenarios I find in television or new books. It was simple and the kind I want to see more in media, it just adds some flavor but doesn't ruin the main story.

I don't know what to say more, but pirates! Thieves in boat ports! Skillful negotiations! Salty water! Traveling across the Atlantic on a boat with sails! The 1880s! Storms that turn ships upside down! Charles Darwin is actually a character! Spring in Brazil! Exploration, unknown, adventure! Zero (0) overused Romanian stereotypes!

Right now I am reading "All Sails Up!" the second time because the nostalgia was too upsetting. There's even a TV series which is generally stays true to the source material, very entertaining especially if you've read the novel.

The English version translated by Cleopatra Hensby is available in digital format on Amazon and it's only 3.56 dollars! I promise you they're going to be the best 3.56 dollars you've ever spent! click here

The TV series is available on YouTube, but you have to look for all 12 episodes separately. As far as I know it's only in Romanian and without any subtitles :/

I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe give this novel a try! I'd like to discuss it especially with foreigners, my inbox is always open!

#toate panzele sus! #All sails up! #Radu Tudoran #book reviews #Book review #Romanian book reviews #eastern europe #Romanian books #bookblr #Adventure novels #Best adventure novel #Eastern Europe books #English translations #romanian history #Romanian literature #Signal boost #Radu tudoran books #Must read books #Must read #Obscure literature #Famous Romanian books #Famous Romanian authors #Romanian author #Romanian writing #@ Romanian blogs help spread the word. People could interact with our culture and this can contribute to us being better seen #by foreign media

[plutoswrath]

hi luca! whos chart in nct r ur fav?? <3

Hello! x An eXCELlent question, truly, one of my favorite activities became gushing over anything nct related at this point asdfgh. Short disclaimer: No ones birth chart is ‘bad’, in astrology there isn’t such thing as a ‘bad’ birth chart, this is all just my personal preference and has nothing to do with the native of the natal chart, there’s no favoritism playing into this, just plain astrological interest! 

Continue to read under cut, long post ahead!

Taeyong: I think I’ve mentioned before that I really really like his birth chart!! I love the different elements and modalities playing into it, it truly is a very good representation of the chaotic, yet sincere and creative individual he is, just really following the beat of his own drum! Also, he’s such a warm and kind person that just really shows in his chart. I do have to say that I love love love Virgo Mars people, I generally love Virgo placements and people with profound Virgo influence, but Taeyong is really hard working and caring and it truly ties to the expectations he not only has for himself, but also that he feels responsible for other people by nature probably (Mars in Virgo in the 7th, especially in opposition to his Saturn) and his really bright and carefree creative streak really shines through with that Sagittarius MC and Gemini Mercury and Venus!! I also mean this with 100% positivity when I say he’s really quirky, always a little bit ‘out of the box’ compared to other people and still just a really authentic person, no matter how ‘odd’ he might come across and his chart just really shows that: being true and sincere because there’s nothing else he can do than being true to himself! An absolute unit, a cancerian enigma as it is written in the books!! 

Jeno: Finally I get the opportunity to talk about this chart!!! Because oh boy do I have opinions on this!!!! First of all: He is an earth sign with a Sagittarius Moon and I love love love this combination in general, especially with his Venusian sun and a Jupiterian Moon it makes for a person that can create a really nice atmosphere, just really pleasant to be with and probably values the good things in life (that defenitely included the small things!!). Looking at Jenos joyous vibe the combi just seems to make sense, I also love the combination of his Taurus stellium and the Aries Venus and Mercury, the dynamic of fixed earth and cardinal fire usually makes a person that is really determined and ambitious. I know it’s not the same as having an Aries Mars, but nontheless Aries energy can create sparks of creativity that the Taurean nature wants to pursue and can actually pull through, because if there’s one thing Taurus is good at then it’s being persistant about anything they love and put their heart in! 

Yuta: I’ve written quiet a bit about his chart, and to be honest my opinion of his chart changed over time, because of his personality and the way we got to know him. In a way, the more I’ve seen of Yuta, the more intruiged I was by the way his birth chart lives out; his chart seems pretty overwhelming at first glance, but what I do love are his two stelliums of Scorpio and Sagittarius. The dynamic of these two neighboring signs is literally diving deep, feeling even more deeper and then fully letting go of it to look into the future and at life with a hopeful and excited attitude. I think his birth chart also reflect the potential of someone self reflected and restless, always being up for transformation and not stagnating, because self developement is the only thing that make sense: with his the individual might feel like they need to surrender to this energy, and eventually it’s true. I think..he’s just a good reflection of his birth chart, I think there’s no other way for him than making sense of all this energy clusters that are in his chart anyway, but yes! I think he’s just an enigma and I’m here for it!!!

Xiaojun: Okay, I will say one thing I love Leo sun in combination with cancer placements, preferably Moon and Mercury. I just noticed that Leo people with profound Cancer in their chart are so incredibly warm people and they just want nothing more than love, they really just want pure and unfiltered emotion and they gladly give this back in return. I think needless to say this makes for a very sensitive person, and Xiaojun defenitely is that too, but it also makes them give that same amount of empathy back and especially the combination with Virgo Venus creates it a wish for devotion. I will be honest I usually I am always a tat critical when I see Scorpio Mars placed in the chart of a fire sign, but I think with him it just adds to this wholehearted and passionate nature of his, plus I think this makes for a really tough cookie, I think viewing his chart critically the first thing that one would notice is the huge water sign energy, but he also has lots of fixed sign modality playing into it, so I firmly believe he is a real go getter, motivated by his passions and working quietly on it instead of being a bragger (because this might just bite him back in the end). 

Kun: I will be very honest, the first impression of his chart was a ‘........oh no’ for me asdfgh, same with Yutas chart, just because of the huge stellium they both share, for Kun it would be his 5 planets in Capricorn. Stelliums are usually known to be a very tricky thing to have in ones birth chart, most of the time stelliums can symbolize a crossroad of potentials and thus can end in a lot of indecisevness for an individual. I think Kun is just one of the best examples of how far one can push the possibilities of a stellium, especially if we consider his confirmed birth time, thus giving him also a 6th house stellium. I think I’m just really fascinated how 6th house stelliums play out (look at Bang Chans 6th house stellium, that guy does everything and is everyhwere, just like Kun) and if we stick to the rules of astrology, hoh boy does his facial bone structure reflect this huge Caprciorn influence, and now to top it all of with my personal preferences: I have a huge huge soft spots for Taurus Moons and I think I like the combination of his Capricorn sun and Taurus Moon a lot, overall his chart just reflects his determination and ambitious nature, work is done thoroughly and attentively, and let’s not forget that his determination is also a big representation of how much he cares (Taurus Moon in the 10th?? It’s more likely than you think asdfgh). 

Jungwoo: It’s all because of his Scorpio Moon, I’m outing myself now, Water suns with Water Moons, especially when the Moon is in Scorpio and Pisces, usually have something very magnetic about them, same can be said with Water suns with Water risings. I think the interest and strong liking I build for his chart came along with his personality, another enigma at hands, Jungwoo is a really nuanced person and I really enjoy when he talks honestly about his feelings and other members in interviews, or just talks casually in vlives, because it gives you a good glance of anything beside his really funny and goofy side (which is by the way no form of complaint here, if there’s one thing no one wants to miss it’s Jungwoos shenanigans asdfgk). I don’t know why but teh first time I looked at his chart I just said ‘Huh???’ out loud because I was really suprised by his Moon sign and Venus. He has an Aquarius and Pisces stellium and i think this might overshadow the other placements a lot, especially since his Sun is in a degree of 0 and his Neptune as well (as Neptune rules Pisces it would be good to look at that planet as well lol). Well yeah, i think it only make sense that everyone got so intruiged by Jungwoo over the last time, I kind of feel the same as with Jaehyun with him, all that Aquarius and Pisces makes people have a harder time seeing them ‘clearly’ at times and also probably projecting a lot on them, so yeah. This is my statement asdfghjk

Sungchan: He’s a Virgo sun, what can I say, that already made me happy asdfghj but I do like the Earth Sun and Water Moon combo, it’s also funny that he has a planet occupying every sign from Gemini to Libra, especially since they’re all personal, plus his Mars in Capricorn of course. Since Sungchan is new to nct I still am very hesitant to making any statement but overall I just like to look at the chart, it seems just very balanced and I can’t wait to sotr his placements to various reactions and moments in a year when we have a lot of content at hand! 

Chenle: I know his sun sign could actually vary, but I will hold close to him being a Scorpio, he has an Aquarius stellium as well (seriously 60% of nct has an Aquarius stellium, despite the fact that they already have so many Aquarians in the band asdfghjkl), which squares his Scorpio stellium, and then add the trine to his Saturn and his Jupiter to it. Maybe that’s a very weird reason, but I like the way the chart physically looks (yes that is maybe not really based on any astrological explainations, but it’s just really interesting to look at). I also do know another Scorpio sun with Aquarius Moon in real life, and they do have their similarities, I also see a lot of Aquarius and Scorpio friends and couples in real life, so even though these signs square the other, I think they seem to find common ground or make amends pretty quickly. I think it’s just the mix of energies that clash here that are really intruiging to me!

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