#and it's always coming from people who think they're 'good at analyzing' too

[emmabirb8]

I've been an Invader Zim fan since 2011.

I was 15-16 at that time, and though I did thoroughly enjoy the show, I was not mature enough to really get it. Sure, it was funny, but I didn't pick up on the subtleties and style of humor beyond the surface level. I liked the wackiness and the characters, but I SURELY wasn't at a point of being able to deconstruct themes or analyze character motivations and narratives (like I very much enjoy doing now). I remember discovering an artist on DeviantArt who drew cute ZaGr stuff, so that was the pairing I liked too. I didn't think too deeply about much, and honestly, I don't think the majority of fans (if they were my age or younger, that is) did either. Everything was taken as dumb and silly for the most part, and that IS truthfully a major component of the show itself.

Getting back into Invader Zim within this past year though, I'm looking at it through a WILDLY different lens. I like Invader Zim for what it is and how it's intended to be perceived. I like that the show is meant to be dark, satirical, and tragic at the same time that it's silly, chaotic, and nonsensical. Almost everything that happens onscreen is written in to be funny above all else. (I've mentioned before that I've been watching Jhonen's Twitch streams for a while now, and I have a MUCH better understanding of his sense of humor bc of that. IZ makes way more sense if you can sorta see things from JV's perspective, lol.)

But at the same time, I also like Invader Zim for what it offers in terms of interpretation and what it can imply (intentionally or not). There is genuinely SO MUCH DEPTH to this dorky lil cartoon that a casual viewer wouldn't immediately pick up on. And a lot of that depth, I think, was not woven in purposely. The show itself was never meant to be taken so seriously. Nevertheless, I'm constantly fascinated by what IZ implies about good and evil, the nature of general society, and especially how it goes about demonstrating the devastating effects of social isolation and bullying. Meta for this series is always pretty damn *chef's kiss.* And what's even more interesting is how viewers manipulate canon to expand upon this world and these characters.

Given that I've come to understand Invader Zim better, I've also grown very fond of ZaDr. Now, while I wouldn't want to see this pairing happen in canon material, I love the potential it possesses in transformative contexts.

In reality, I get that these characters were intended to have a deep hatred for one another and a never-ending rivalry for the sake of comedy and not much else. It's an extraterrestrial perpetually throwing hands with a 12 year old because he's incompetent and his plans often fail. And that's funny. That's the point. But beyond that, canonically, these are two characters who are mirrors of each other; they're both treated like garbage by their respective peers, and they both crave acknowledgment, validation, and a sense of purpose. Throughout their story, they find they're only able to obtain these things from each other, so as a consequence of their similar personalities, they become utterly, unhingedly obsessed with each other (to a sometimes unhealthy degree). They are undeniably forever intertwined by design of how the show is set up.

And because of that, shipping of these characters was, frankly, inevitable in fandom spaces. I myself fell victim to their appeal too. (Sorry, Jhonen. 😅)

I'm not gonna go into any discourse surrounding this pairing because there's already PLENTY of that to go around online. Everyone has their own opinion on the subject, and that's fine. I respect that. Point is, even though I understand and appreciate what Zim and Dib are supposed to be in the context of the show, I also enjoy the idea of them as friends and romantic partners outside of and beyond the confines of canon.

And that's something that I think many fans who are biased toward ZaDr would also agree with! Actually, I'd say the majority of people who ship characters in ANY media would concur. We like the idea of seeing how specific relationships could develop over time and/or within different settings and circumstances. It's NOT always about wanting to see a relationship unfold on screen or in fan works strictly adhering to canon. It's about stretching canon, or in some cases, scratching canon entirely however you see fit! Who cares! It's fiction!

For me personally, I enjoy ZaDr because its attributes fall into so many trope categories that I've come to adore over the years (ones that I either wasn't aware of when I was younger, or that I didn't enjoy in the same intensity as I do now). Zim and Dib are, or could be, depending on context:

Codependent toxic soulmates

Human/non-human

Shared history

Classic enemies to lovers (or, as I often prefer it, enemies to friends to lovers)

Bicker couple

Battle couple, when put in the right setting for it

Violence as a love language

Smol and tol

The wild card paired with the rational one, the best part about this being that sometimes the more rational one is Dib, and sometimes it's Zim bc they're both a special flavor of insane

Make each other worse/stupider when together, tho oddly, they also kinda bring out the best in each other too

And, my personal favorites, the potential for hurt/comfort and angst with a happy ending, with the comfort and happiness aspects ultimately coming from each other

I like what these characters could be, to and for each other, apart from their roles in the show.

I would never want to explore a dynamic between Zim and Dib that goes beyond "frenemies" territory in canon (because that doesn't fit what the show is, and I do appreciate the integrity of Jhonen's vision). The subtle foundation for them is there, it's just that it can't really work unless a few key details are changed or manipulated, and, well...

I sure as hell like exploring every bit of that expanded potential in fan works because it's fun to imagine the various directions things could go if they were different!

This isn't me, like... trying to defend my (or anyone else's) enjoyment of this particular ship or trying to convince people to like it. Or the show for that matter! To each their own, truly. And I'm obv aware of the controversy ZaDr often incites and why. Everyone has valid reasons for liking OR not liking it, and I accept differing viewpoints on it. It's a touchy, nuanced subject to be sure. But this isn't about that.

I don't really know what this is, actually, aside from a very long very weird essay, lol. I just wanted to process why and how all of this works for me with my changed perspective from when I was first introduced to Invader Zim in my teens up until now.

It's strange, looking back. I didn't get ZaDr years ago. But I do now, and so much of it, at least from my perspective, has to do with taking the crumbs present in canon (that are undeniably there, whether you choose to acknowledge them or not, and whether they're intentional or not) and absolutely running with them to the ends of your own wild imagination.

#invader zim #invader zim meta #zadr #iz zadr #zim #dib membrane #my posts #this is... A LOT but i just needed to work thru it for my own sanity lol #said it before and i'll say it again: pls utilize the tag blocking function however you need to bc i KNOW this can be very Yikes for some #but at the same time this is my blog and i'm gonna do what i want :P

[bugsbenefit]

actually re purity culture because i just got reminded of Things i've had to read (horrible, Horrible takes). there's been such a fundamental shift in what i see younger kids see as "normal" or "allowed" in fiction. the idea of any from of "non pure"?? attraction being shown is already too much. kissing can never be more than chaste and "cute". characters under the age of 18 aren't allowed to show any sign of sexuality at all without being "fetishization" and so on

because when i was 13-18 i was already aware of sexuality's place in media. and i was an ace teenager mind you, i didn't even date. but even without any interest in shipping or wanting to see sexuality on screen, i was fully used to and okay with it being there

i just wish kids would watch more media again that's not "catered to their ages". nothing wrong with watching kids cartoons and the like, but it's also painfully obvious that some people have no experience with fiction or even fandom outside of things like h*artstopper or the owl h*ouse. nothing wrong with those it's just... going to twist your idea of what media's like on a more general level

and it's not even just about sex, that's just one aspect where the shift is extremely obvious. there's also the far bigger problem that there's people genuinely unable to analyze media or pick up on patterns, themes, nuance, double meanings, etc. that's how we got to a place where someone told me dracula was problematic because it was "kind of noncon" and the idea of analyzing the sexuality theme in any way was "stupid" to them because apparently "sex gross??" 😭

it's just so annoying because it makes fandoms so much more frustrating. like how there's people who try to make stranger things a cute teen shipping show, but then can't deal with it when the show actually starts to lean into the teens coming of age and developing sexualities. and how people try to cutsify and fluffify the show and then go as far as attacking people who want to talk about the darker themes because they're just too uncomfortable to engage with the sci fi horror show in a sci fi horror way

#the takes i was reminded off were so bad i have to complain #like bad enough that i was reminded of the dracula thing and oh god that was so insane #and it's always coming from people who think they're 'good at analyzing' too #they'll hit you with the 'i know the show/book/movie' and then a second later they're trying to tell you it's bad because the main #character is unapologetic about killing someone

[yourstardarling]

Astrology Observations: Fire Signs🔥

Think of fire placements as the heat bringers. The fire signs are filled with passion and a lot of raw energy. People with these placements can be seen as extroverts even when they themselves don’t identify with that notion. It’s cause they have an inner confidence within themselves that just exudes out.

🐏 I low key consider having an Aries Moon to be a debilitating placement. It’s mainly because Aries Moons had to learn to be emotionally independent and nurture themselves from a very young age. With the Mars influence, there’s often times a lot of conflict faced within family dynamics. A love hate relationship with family, they are the main ones that know how to get under their skin. Also, emotions are often times heightened and felt throughout the entire body. One moment it feels like we feel everything and then the next moment we’re back to normal.

🦁As bright as Leo risings are, they oftentimes carry a lot of inner insecurities. With Scorpio in the 4th house their home life was one of intensity and emotional trauma. Their family background is oftentimes something they rather not talk about, keeping it hidden from the public view. Leo Risings are the reason why I'll always hype up for Leo's to shine, because they have been in the dark for far too long.

🐴Mars In Sagittarius will go far and beyond when it comes to conflict. They're anger can become excessive and they will do the most to prove their point. That's why they'll oftentimes prefer to stay funny and optimistic so that they don't get pushed to their limit.

🐏Aries Placements aren’t always out to fight you. The thing about them is, they are always on guard. Think of them as knights ready to protect their castle from enemies. It’s more defensive than offensive. As soon as they feel like something threatens them, they will immediately address it. Once they’ve analyzed the situation, they can then decide whether to back off or go to war. It’s what separates them from Scorpio who don’t address things immediately, but let it simmer before striking.

🦁 Leo Suns are the most Leo placements, since they are literally the embodiment of the Sun. That is why most Leo Suns rep their sign so hard. They have a lot of pride about being a Leo and will not be afraid to let everyone know that. Also, a lot of them tend to have Lion Tattoos or an obsession with lions. May have loved the Lion king a lot more than other people, that movie was literally made for them. It’s really hard to not see a Leo Sun shine, the spotlight is always on them whether they like it or not. Unless the Sun falls in the 12th.

🐴Sagittarius Risings carry somewhat of a god complex within themselves. The sign is all about faith, so they hold strong beliefs about who they are and what they represent. They benefit a lot by finding a spiritual path that is individualistic to them. Even if they may not believe in God, they will always believe in themselves. This oftentimes works in their favor as I see they get away with things most people could not.

🐏Aries love to win, wherever you have Aries in your chart shows where you like to be a winner. It’s the go getting attitude that this placement brings to strive for victory. They are trailblazers, but if they see the trail not blazing, they are very quick to move on to the next endeavor. It’s cause the energy of Aries is short burst, it’s like an explosion and then it subsides to then explode again.

🦁Leo naturally shows us where we shine in our charts. It’s where we hold a lot of pride in ourselves for being good at something. This is our talents and the thing that makes us stand out. We can oftentimes become egotistical in this area of our lives, thinking we know what’s best. That is why Leo’s oftentimes get that egotistical criticism. However, Leo teaches us that we should be proud of our achievements and not allow others to dim our light. It’s important to have a humble heart, but also knowing your worth at the same time.

🐴Sagittarius is where we have good aim. We are often very lucky in this area of our lives. It is our lightning bolt and what we can often depend on to give us hope. The energy of Sagittarius is very expansive so the possibilities are endless with this sign. However, the Jupiterian nature makes most Sagittarius face the issue of excess. It’s important for them to redirect their aim and figure out where are they even heading. This is the mutable nature of Sag, always having to change the course of direction they are moving to. Sometimes the adventurous nature is not even something they choose to do, but have to in order to not be wandering around for no reason.

Each of the fire signs are really good at bringing attention to themselves. They are master storytellers because we have to remember they sit opposite the air signs. While the air signs tell stories about other people, the fire signs center the stories around themselves:

Aries placements are very open and honest about the hardships in their lives. They will tell you about the battles they have gone through and oftentimes glaze over issues like it wasn’t that serious. It’s because that experience in their lives is already over, so all they can do is move on. Meanwhile your over here looking at them like damn. Stories often involve them being the first to do something and how they triumphed over a situation they had.

Leo placements will reel you in with the theatrics. They will emphasize certain parts of the story to keep you entertained. It can be overly dramatized in order to get positive attention towards them. After all, Leo rules over the theater so these stories they tell about themselves have to be larger than life. As long as they gain positive feedback and make others feel good, they don’t care if they have to tweak some aspects of the story.

Sagitaurius placements will tell you stories about their adventures. Specifically stories involving their misadventures and how they ended up in bad situations. They hilariously look back upon these issues they face and usually it’s so unimaginable that it makes other people laugh. Someway somehow, they always manage to get back on their feet and things work out in their favor in the end. Situations that occur to these folks are always unique to them fr.

—

Also, this just my personal opinion Jesus was an Aries and had an Aries Rising. Hear me out. The whole lamb of God thing he had going on fits the signs association with lambs and rams. Baby lambs are born during the springtime, and Aries season begins the spring equinox. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb. In that sense, Aries is the first sacrifice and the sacrificial lamb that begins the zodiac cycle. All other signs are the followers/disciples of Aries. He’s God’s one and only son, because we only have one Sun. Aries is the exaltation of the Sun meaning that is where it’s at its full power. Don’t crucify me in the comments y'all this is just my speculation. I just don’t see Jesus as a Capricorn. Also, this man had to be real bold in order to tell the Roman’s and Rabbis to their face that their actions were wrong. That boldness just had to come from an Aries.

Anyways that is all.

- your Star Darling

#astrology observations #astro community #fire signs #aries placements #leo placements #sagittarius placements #aries #leo #sagittarius

[totallynotsilversora]

Can we appreciate and analyze how impeccable Vash’s skills as a marksman is bc I hadn't noticed anyone talk about it in length and this gif literally drives me insane:

Content warning: mentions guns / gun and shooting below the cut because otherwise this analysis would be moot.

This is coming from someone who used to only shoot air rifles for sport like how you'd see it in the Olympics with paper targets!

Ok so as I’ve said I've shot guns before (not at anyone ya sickos) and believe me when I say that Vash has such a good steady aim his arm doesn’t even bend when he moves it - he moves it from the shoulder/ his waist to keep that arm straight and relaxed as possible, which is crazy because that gun looks like a BRICK made of solid metal. There's no way that thing is light, there's definitely some weight to it, but the way he moves it is smoother than most people I've seen lift a credit card.

Now it’s not unusual in sport to have at least some tiny weight on the end of the barrel to keep it steady and act as a counterbalance but that’s like Olympics, not a fight. Vash may be superhuman but I don’t think carrying a cross like the Punisher would make fighting any easier, so it’s safe to say holding a decently heavy chunk of metal filled with lead isn’t easy either (I’m pretty sure the humans we’ve seen so far held their guns with two hands either due to weight or stability and they're not so smooth anyways).

So him tracking someone with a gun like that in only ONE HAND is kind of impressive even at that close range bc it doesn't matter how many times you hit your mark, your barrel would NOT be as steady as Vash in that gif unless you're this gif of Kobeni from CSM:

Even that scene in episode 3 when Vash is aiming at Knives (which I can’t find a good gif of) he doesn’t move the barrel at ALL until he has to lift it and follow Knives’ head. No shaking, no wobble, not even the SLIGHTEST figure 8 you’d normally get when you aim down a barrel - it’s a smooth turn of his wrists following Knives’ head up.

And that’s all from EXPERIENCE. Look at the two gifs below:

You can literally see how much he’s improved since he lost his arm - he’s expectantly super wobbly compared to the last gif in episode 2. He notably doesn’t “force” the gun to stay in one spot and aim where it needs to be - he raises it then let’s it “settle” on where he’s aiming to shoot before firing. A good shooter knows how to aim and take the shot before they lose the target w/o moving (called “following through”), but a great marksman knows that when it comes to shooting you should never fight against the body’s natural tendencies to move the way it wants to even when you’re aiming at something because you’re less likely to wobble or move when your body is relaxed and comfortable. Moving it away from that position will cause you to quiver and inevitably try to return to that same comfortable position against your will. That’s not just something you pick up on naturally - you have to LEARN that shit.

Which means Vash literally took the time to either completely unlearn every single one of his body’s natural ticks in order to shoot like a pro OR he learned how to work along with each one so his aim was always on point. Either way, it took him 150 years of practice to reach that level and it definitely paid off for him I think!

There’s a bunch of other ticks I noticed, too, like him keeping his trigger finger on the side of the gun if he’s not aiming to shoot anything in that moment but still has the gun in his hand so he doesn't accidentally misfire:

Or how he never keeps one eye closed bc the twitching WILL make you shake and lose focus so he always keeps both eyes open when aiming so he sees better:

But this post is long enough as is and I think we all get the idea that he’s that fricking good at using a gun.

TL;DR Studio Orange did a fantastic job convincing me that Vash is an INSANELY GOOD marksman and this is coming from someone who used to shoot air rifles for sport and had an incredible coach who would also agree with me and say this guy’s aim is surreal if he ever watched this show. Also his reload speed is absolutely demonic too like what the actual hell-

EDIT: added that scene from episode 3 just to show you guys what I meant (sorry it's low quality but you get it!!! Also the fact he's keeping his finger on the trigger bc he knows how unpredictable Knives is and could strike him down at any moment just shows how confident he is at keeping his hand steady bc if he were shaking he would DEFINITELY have misfired by now).

#trigun stampede #text post #vash the stampede #analysis #gun #guns #shooting #marksmanship #seriously if this dude ever shot in the Olympics #I guarantee you everyone there would go INSANE #I used to shoot standing with my feet misaligned and it drove other coaches mad #because not only is it completely against how you’re supposed to be taught how to shoot (feet in one straight line) #but I actually shot better that way and landed bulls eyes consistently #bc my hips dont lie and my waist liked to move it like a blender ig but hey it worked! #anyways i think vash is neat!

[illumoonated]

Analyzing Tifa Lockhart

*some spoilers for Remake/Rebirth/Original*

This interpretation is not dependent on her characterization from the original ffvii--i.e. this is focused on remake and rebirth.

Tifa gets a lot of flack for not being "interesting" or "complex". But to be honest, I think that's the point. If you don't care to look closer, you're just like the majority of the people she's come across in her life. You've fallen for the mask she's perfected to protect her true self.

Tifa is quick to help others but not quick to believe in herself. She has heard compliments about her appearance from googly-eyed fanboys like a Johnny for a very long time. But she is not vain and does not revel in it. Tifa clearly doesn't want to be known solely for her looks. In fact, I'd say she feels hindered by them.

Now, some people will argue that this isn't a "flaw". "Oh no! Poor girl is too beautiful! How hard that has to be...[sarcasm]." But for Tifa, it means that she's not taken seriously at first glance. She's somehow expected to be perfect because of how she looks. It's a label that others put on her. She is beautiful and therefore she MUST be good.

So what does Tifa do? She desperately tries to live up to that standard. She bypasses the praise and uses it as fuel to be as accommodating as possible. She is a textbook people pleaser. This leaves her feeling in debt to everyone that 'befriends' her.

I say 'befriend' because Tifa herself believes the mask of perfection she wears is who they really like--not Tifa herself. She feels she owes others the blind faith they put in her. In a way similar to Cloud, she's split in two.

There is the light-hearted, happy, accommodating, humble Tifa on the surface. But underneath, there is insecurity, anxiety, and a struggle with imposter syndrome. Still, whether on the surface or deep down, Tifa is always truly selfless, playful, and empathetic. The funny thing is, she doesn't seem to understand that these are what make her special.

She preempts her tears in front of Cloud in Remake by stating that she knows they're a waste of time. Even before Cloud has said a word, she doesn't want to burden him with her weakness--he is not owed "weak" Tifa and she has to apologize for it.

But then Cloud disagrees, and provides space for her to grieve. And that's why I think she is attached to Cloud.

Yes, he is a mystery that needs to be unraveled, and he's from home, and their promise etc. but Tifa can be imperfect in front of Cloud and not be punished for it. In fact, even within Avalanche, Tifa feels like the odd person out.

She is close to her team and trusts them, but blowing up the reactors in Remake causes her to feel emotionally weak and less like a team player. It is only when she's forced to take someone else's place that she can be allowed on another bombing mission.

In Remake, she openly cries in front of Barret after the plate drops. She mourns Jessie, and the others too. But those are 'acceptable' tears. Now, I'm not saying Tifa's cognitively saying "yes, I can now cry" but in a way, she can allow herself to be weak around more than just Cloud when she's grieving because it's not a weakness to care for the lives of others. Tifa unconsciously knows she will not be rejected for being openly upset about sector 7 because it is a shared grief with the rest of the sector.

Sure, Tifa can explain her hesitation to Avalanche about the bombings and be upset about it, but Cloud is the only one who doesn't pass judgement on her emotions. Barret and the others obviously still care for Tifa and value her, but her grey-area hesitation is not going to assist them in achieving their goal which is very black and white.

Tifa is excellent at picking up the nuances of the environment and people around her. She is the first to mention that there are average everyday people working for Shinra. And that nothing is as simple as Avalanche wants it to be.

This tact and empathy is how she leads Cloud out of his own trauma-induced personality rewrite. She doesn't blast her way through like a Barret would, and she doesn't pass judgement on Cloud like so many others have done to her. She simply sits with Cloud, gently guiding him until he can find who he is in his own time.

But there is fear about speaking up. Tifa doesn't want to break Cloud or shatter him. She is afraid that this one person who she can finally be imperfect around will go away, leaving that mask of perfection on permanently.

Cloud is the only person she is both selfless and selfish about. Cloud can handle and cares to see who Tifa is beyond what she projects. He uses their promise as a lifeline back to the person he thinks he is and wants to be. He wants to be a hero. But Tifa doesn't need one. Not in the traditional sense.

She is physically strong, loyal, and tactful. She doesn't hesitate to help othersand doesn't run away from righting wrongs. But sure, maybe back in Nibelheim pre-psycho-sepho she wanted a knight in shining armor. She asks Cloud to save her. But I think a part of this promise is a way to link Cloud to her. She wants to be safe from harm, yes. But to her, a hero is someone who sees her beyond what she can give. She wants someone who wants to know the true her. Someone who doesn't punish her for her kindness, nor abuse her empathy simply because they feel they are "owed".

Cloud is the only person Tifa actively puts in debt to her. She is always doing for others, but Cloud is the only person where she can both give and receive help without squirming.

After Tifa wakes up from being in the Weapon's materia stomach, she tells Cloud it's time for her to save him. This is an even promise. The proposal scene from Fullmetal Alchemist comes to mind. "I'll give you half of my life if you give me half of yours." We can save each other. We can support each other. We can be weak in front of each other which will only make us stronger.

As this is rapidly approaching a Cloti post, I want to circumvent shipping talk (even though yeah, I am a major Cloti shipper). I want to discuss Tifa and Aerith's relationship.

When the jealous non-girlfriend of Johnny's chews Tifa out in Rebirth at Costa Del Sol, Tifa simply tells Aerith she's used to being treated that way. This can be interpreted as Tifa simply not having many girl friends to lean on. She looked up to Jessie for being confident and she cares for Marlene like an Aunt, but for the most part, Tifa can be made into the villain of someone else's story simply for her looks and kindness.

Aerith's friendship is a boon. She actively stands up for Tifa. They joke around and laugh. They have what I would call "sleepover talk" about boys and Cloud. Aerith trusts Tifa with the truth about Zack just as Tifa tells Aerith that Cloud was never in Nibelheim (to her knowledge). Aerith is the first girl friend she can rely on and not be in competition with. Which is ironic since the fandom loves to pit them against each other for the title of "best jrpg waifu"....

Aerith is an ancient for chrissake! She is cute and bubbly and sassy. Tifa could very easily be intimidated by Aerith for being more honest and blunt about the things she wants and needs, but she isn't. She's inspired. Just like Cloud, Aerith allows Tifa to be insecure, but unlike Cloud, Aerith is able to be more vocal about it to Tifa's face. If Cloud is a man of action when it comes to showing Tifa he cares about her, then Aerith is the woman of words.

When we (presumably) lose Aerith at the end of Rebirth, Tifa reverts back to her shell. Her confidant/sister/best friend is gone. Her childhood friend/love interest/hero has not only lost his footing on reality, he is actively descending further and further away from it.

What is left for Tifa? She's gotten a taste of what it's like to be imperfect and cared for in spite of/because of that. And now she can't hide as well as she used to. Cloud tells Barret he can handle the heavy load (whether he knows that Barret is referring to Aerith's death is another post entirely), but Tifa knows he can't. She is more alone than ever now.

So what will Reunion bring? I hope to see Tifa take a more active role in her story. I know that in the OG she isn't as take charge as players wanted her to be, and I can understand that frustration. I just hope now, that with all this amazing character building, we see it come to a head. That we see Tifa accept her imperfections with grace and leadership.

#long post #tifa lockhart #ff7 #ffvii #ff7 rebirth #ff7 spoilers #final fantasy 7 rebirth #final fantasy vii rebirth #tifa #this was not proofread deal w it my dudes sry #cloti #cloud #aerith

[evilcowgirl]

Hi! i was thinking of a prompt for some headcanons for autistic! reader x the gang members (any one you like!)

a sort of "they're a bit odd but i like that about em" since it wasnt discovered until 1911.

stuff like when reader gets overwhelmed/doesnt understand social que/shows empathy/apathy at the wrong moments

and mostly what they'd do when reader feels left out/like they dont belong because thats something im really struggling with </3

have a good day/night!

autistic reader relationship headcannons

pairings: arthur, javier, dutch, charles x reader

a/n: hiii loved this request sm !! feeling left out is the worst feeling but there's a place for everyone so pls remember that !! also i included dutch and john for the first time !! this is me using my autism powers for good

word count: 1k (combined)

Arthur

you bond over you both feeling unheard in the gang. you because communication is difficult for you (especially when you feel out of place) and for arthur it's because he and dutch got into an argument twenty minutes ago and he's still mad.

makes it his personal responsibility to make sure you never feel overlooked at camp because he knows how hard it is for you to settle in with the rest of the gang

during parties at camp he makes sure to keep you right by his side of you don't feel up to talking and reassures you that everything is fine if you get overwhelmed

doesn't think twice about intimidating your way out of situations he sees going south

"You can't just go around talking to folks like that"

"Nah you ain't do nothing wrong, just that people 'round here are real quick-tempered; thankfully for you i'm even quicker."

he writes about you in his journal more than anything else, pages and pages are dedicated to just how special you are to him !!

"They aren't like most folk, I like that about them."

arthur takes it as you being less influenced by social norms, which he's naturally drawn to as someone who doesn't get along too well with social norms either.

KING of aggressive reassurance, sometimes it can be off putting but you know he means every word he says.

"I promise you if they didn't want you here you'd be long gone, darlin'"

"Everyone here loves you, I think even more than they love me at this point so stop your nonsense."

Dutch

biggest autism fan

calls you eccentric because thats how he chooses to describe you to people

completely over analyzes everything you say because he thinks you're the most interesting person he's ever met !! you might as well be evelyn miller !!

to him, you are so unique and precious that he finds himself being overly protective

his protectiveness could a flaw depending on your mood because he never notices that he's smothering you until you're past the point of being overstimulated by the attention.

you made a mistake ? no you didn't, you could never.

would rather watch a man die slowly than let you be confronted, even if you can take up for yourself.

"If he doesn't like your manners he'll be terribly disappointed to find that mine are much worse"

"Don't you dare waste your breath apologizing to anyone, sweet thing."

notices the small things about you like how enthralled you were by the noise his rings make when they brush against a glass or how you hate the feeling of too many eyes on you

you're the only person other than arthur that he feels like he can vent to without being judged.

will listen to you ramble about whatever you're interested in at the moment for as long as your interest lasts. has no problem with you coming up to him to talk about horses for a month straight if he gets to see you happy

Javier

he just thinks you're neat

you have a chest filled with little gifts that he brings you from his trips out of camp because you told him you like collecting things once.

little calm walks through the woods when things aren't going well, and even when they are and you just miss each other's company.

always reminds you to prepare yourself for the loud noise when he feels like he might have to use his gun if loud noises bother you.

"Remember to cover your ears, amor"

because of his own strict morals and passion for what he stands for he appreciates your straightness with what you believe. its easy for him to talk to you because he can trust you to be honest.

loyalty is a huge thing for javier so you can trust him to stand up for you diligently regardless of what it's about

someone made a snide comment ?? dead !

he adores everything you view as a flaw about yourself. from your struggles with putting things in a way that people can swallow easily, to your excitement for whats often seen as mundane.

"That's amazing, amor, tell me more!"

javier is definitely a self-identified romantic and finds ways to romance you even if sometimes you don't pick up on his affections.

always invites you to sit near him around the fire and listen to him play !! every song is for you because he knows you like his music

could not care less about your issues with empathy because he has them too after everything he's been through.

would never force you to feel something you don't or don't understand and reminds you that you're just as caring and lovable as anyone else

John

"You're a bit off, you know?"

will ask you why you do certain things, not to be rude but out of genuine curiosity and a lack of manners.

literally so clueless

thought that you hated him in the beginning and held a grudge that you didn't even know about, but once he realized that you simply expressed emotions differently than most people he warmed up to you over time

he wasn't exactly sure how to approach you even though he was interested and he's NOT at all used to being nervous around people he's interested in

tried and failed to strike up conversations with you numerous times before finally switching up his approach and realizing that small talk wasn't going to get him anywhere with you.

the term autism and it's symptoms weren't recognized medically until much later, there was no term for it which often led to people simply avoiding the topic of your differences or leaving you out completely. john on the other hand was incredibly frank about everything and never tries to convince you that you're just like everyone else. he knows that you're not and so do you, what matters to him is that he loves you just as you are.

gets aggressive when you're overwhelmed, not with you but to everyone else around you. hates seeing you stressed out and it gets him stressed too.

"They said they don't want any bother." when you definitely did not say that

sitting in his tent with him while you both calm down and sweet hugs and comforting words afterwards

only he is allowed to poke fun of you everyone else knows you're off limits

Charles

i like my bitches weird an offputting -charles i think

charles is the first person you think has truly known you without treating you any differently. he didn't speak down to you, or simplify things because he saw you as less intelligent. he spoke to you like a person that was just as capable of everyone else, which you were.

gentle words of encouragement and silent glances of of acknowledgment when you need them. he always know when you need them.

so sweet with you because he knows what it feels like to not belong in more ways than he could even list

"Would you like to join us?"

"I'd like it if you came, you're always welcome with me."

you never feel like he's judging you for not understanding how to talk with others in a conventional way. he understands you in a way you're not used to.

he can always magically tell when you're getting overstimulated and never makes you feel like a burden for it.

sweetest man ever just wants you to be okay !!!!

always shares new things that he's learned with you because he knows you'll appreciate them. loves to tell you all about plants and animals and in return he listens eagerly to whatever hyper fixation you have at the time

you both have a similar social which leads to you spending an unsettling amount of time together

holding hands and sweet kisses when you're both up for it, regardless of who's looking

people in camp talk of course, wondering how something that's not an animal being hunted could capture charles' attention for so long

#arthur morgan x reader #john marston x reader #dutch van der linde x reader #javier escuella x reader #charles smith x reader #dutch van der linde #rdr2 #rdr2 fanfic #arthur morgan headcanons #john marston headcanons #dutch van der linde headcanons #charles smith headcanons #javier escuella headcanons

[utilitycaster]

forgive me if i don’t make sense bc i don’t really know how to articulate this, but taliesin talked a lot about “trying to figure out what punk means in exandria” and wondering what’s there to be angry about. and after the last string of episodes i feel like that it’s a question that he baked into ashton’s character. like yes ashton is punk and they have justified anger but the Rest of their anger is deflective to stop them from interrogating themselves and their decisions further. idk it’s really interesting to me

It is! It's something I really love about Ashton and it's something I think Taliesin was very thoughtful about in his character creation. I think Taliesin is extremely strong in character creation in general, and it's a rare person who can make a character based on a philosophical premise who also feels very real.

That really is the core of Ashton, and I think it's a great commentary. I do still intend to watch The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (winter break perhaps?) but I am broadly familiar with the gutter-punks on which Ashton was based, and again, the punk movement as a whole. There have always been politically-minded punks; but I advise you look up the backgrounds of, say, the average Fugazi/Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, or Propagandhi musician because they are, by and large, middle-class white guys with relatively stable and happy childhoods, and the idea of Ashton as someone dedicated to the Tumblr uwu kindness is punk "look at this perfect baby who doesn't steal pennies how kind and generous to only take literally everything else" archetype was always a massive projection. They've always been far more in the model of the Break Shit, Get Wasted punk than, well, the straight edge and veganism of the above.

(I also think that while it's true that a lot of punk houses did take in anyone and were something of a refuge for many a la Color In Your Cheeks, there was also a lot of Missing Stair Fallacy shit going on in the punk community even then. Ashton is in fact an example of the flaws in that sort of subculture: the Nobodies were there until they really, really weren't, and that's not unusual for that kind of punk friendship. It's found family until you're too inconvenient and dangerous to make it worth it. Taliesin explores this a lot, incidentally; that was very much what he was doing with Molly, and I would love to hear him talk about that kind of surface-level closeness that isn't strong enough to stick because as someone who both participates in fandom and loves to observe and analyze fandom as a phenomenon itself, it's a very real dynamic.)

Ashton has had an awful life. That's the premise. Nothing good has happened to them. There are plenty of valid reasons for them to be angry. Some are people who deserve it (their parents for the fucked up ritual; the Nobodies for abandoning them; Jiana Hexum for exploiting them), some are people who don't deserve their anger but to be fair haven't done anything to deserve their respect either (Percy, the gods), but many have been perfectly kind and reasonable and Ashton has rejected them because they're in a position of authority or seemed too nice. And there's plenty of stuff he's mad about that isn't easily pinned on anyone; the chronic pain is a shitty side effect of one or both of his traumas but no one person is responsible.

Ashton is an incredibly cynical person, and this extends to himself. As I've said before, I think they absolutely mean it when they say that they would have done the exact same thing the Nobodies would do, and this has been used to both cover up the intense hurt that came from their abandonment, but also, I think part of Ashton's own self-loathing comes from the fact that yeah, they are the kind of person who'd have done the same, and that isn't a very good person, and being angry at the Nobodies and Jiana and the world at large has allowed him to avoid looking that truth in the face. Ashton has always bounced between "I'll be the best broken thing I can be" and "what if I could be more? what if I could be what I could have been if things went well?" and also "who the fuck cares" and the reveal, that when the chips are down, he will make an ill-advised and self-destructive choice from that place of pain and anger has really rattled them. He can't keep just being angry and using that to shield himself from difficult questions. It won't just kill them, but it will hurt everyone around them too.

A really ugly truth of life is that even when something is completely not your fault and even when you have been dealt a rotten, unfair hand, often, you do have some degree of responsibility to deal with it ("And if it isn't my fault, I certainly didn't do anything to deal with it," as Ashton says.) The mere act of being angry is cathartic but doesn't actually solve anything. I think that's Keyleth's message to Orym, actually; it's not fair, and you're angry that it's not fair, but you need to use that anger to do things yourself instead of letting it consume you or passing the buck because it sure as hell isn't your turn. Ashton has, since the solstice, been playing tug of war with the idea that this anger has perhaps not been serving him, and he finally lost. Initially they realized a lot of this anger had been self-pity, but then, as they said, one week of thinking their parents actually were something led them to do the exact same dumb cult shit. Instead of stopping and listening to Evontra'vir and Allura, he said "no, I'm special, actually." And to be clear I think their motives were incredibly complicated and well-thought-out on Taliesin's part. It's not just because of his parents, it's not entirely selfish or out of heroics but those certainly did play a part, he did genuinely think it would help but he also ignored a number of warnings that it wouldn't. Again, I think the parallels between Ashton and FCG are glaringly obvious this episode, except Ashton hid their feelings with anger and FCG with a focus on everyone else's needs.

#answered #Anonymous #long post #ashton greymoore #god i love this episode so fucking much it's SO good

[aleksanderscult]

Darklina's first kiss

That meme that I posted made me wanna analyze their first awkward kiss.

Consider it a little gift for Valentine's day 💕

I'll quickly skip over their conversation with Baghra and their conversation with each other minus some important parts.

The Darkling sees that even though her power has improved it's not enough to be used against the volcra.

Baghra has changed her tune apparently. All the other times she was alone with Alina she was saying: "Your power is not enough! Try again! Again!". Now she's like "No, I think it is enough. Give her an amplifier" out of an attempt to persuade the Darkling not to go after the Stag.

Baghra brings out her usual toxic self and the Darkling alludes that he has often been verbally attacked by his mother.

YES! STAND UP TO HER!!

Seeing a victim of abuse standing up to his abuser is so empowering.

The Darkling tells Baghra to take her toxic ass and leave them the fuck alone.

He sees how her powers have changed her physically and have given her health and vitality.

The Darkling when he saw Alina strong and healthy: "You look well😊"

Mal when he saw Alina strong and healthy: "You look well😒"

The Darkling being a gentleman is one of the highlights of this book 👌

Alina is the one that breaks the silence and asks him about the Stag.

He's trying to let her know that just because her powers aren't enough, that doesn't mean that she's worthless. And even admits that he cannot deal with the Fold himself. He's making an effort to make her feel less bad about herself.

He's a fan of her humor 😭🥹👉👈

Now he's even apologising for giving her false hope. He promised her the Stag and he can't find it.

He even doubts himself and can't shake off the words Baghra had told him. Even though they disagree on almost everything, he seems to always keep her words in his mind.

Actually no Alina, Baghra is no good for Aleksander. She's just the person the lowers his confidence.

THEY'RE TOO CUTE!! TOO ADORABLE!! IT'S ALMOST DISGUSTING!! 😭😭

"The most random kiss doesn't ex...."

WHERE DID THAT COME FROM??

By the way, is that "flush" from the cold or from something else? 😌 Is it a blush? 😌

Never mind it's still cute regardless because we just witnessed a thousand year old creature unable to hide his crush anymore.

Also, I've seen people say that he kissed her because he wanted to distract her from asking questions about the Stag. It's true that Alina started this conversation but here the Darkling only asked her opinion. And it's apparent that he means it when he says that he cares to know about it because he did the same thing in RoW when he asked to see her and talk to her.

How did I expect a truly manipulative person to react: *all confident, flirty, even smug about it*

How did the Darkling react: "Uhh...I....uhh...I think I left the stove on!! Gotta go!!"

How does it feel to catch feelings after centuries of withdrawal from them, Aleksander? 🙃

Ivan decided to cockblock them because why not.

OR he took pity of him and said: "Gotta help him out of this".

Bros helping each other 🤝

Why did he smirk if he didn't notice that there is something wrong with his master? A girl having lost a beat in front of the Darkling is normal for him. But the Darkling himself having lost ten beats in front of a girl must be something entertaining for him indeed.😏

The Darkling be like:

"Pretend everything is okay, Aleksander. Just walk normally, talk normally and pretend like you don't have a flock of butterflies inside your stomach. Oh! I also need to remember to give Ivan a raise. He's a life saver".

So yeah I don't think it was actually a sneaky attempt of manipulation but our evil mastelord couldn't control his own feelings and let them act before his logic. Even powerful immortals get crushes and act all awkward with them apparently. Especially this one who has squashed his feelings down for centuries and he's surprised to find out that not only they still exist inside him but have also taken over him.

#the darkling #the Darkling's effort gave consolation to all the lovesick people out there that even immortals act embarrassing when in love #alina starkov #darklina #alarkling #baghra morozova #pro darklina #pro alarkling #aleksander morozova #pro darkling #shadow and bone #grishaverse #ivan

[yuikomorii]

DL characters from most to least intelligent?

// Oh, this is going to be interesting!

Disclaimer: This top incorporates intelligence as in brain power, perceptiveness and so on. It also has nothing to do with morals or the DL Tokutens, since those are just for fun and not the most accurate version of the characters, therefore it’s based on routes, serious CD dramas and official short stories.

1. Laito

It's no longer a secret that Laito is extremely intelligent to the point of being terrifying. I've already discussed his big brain in this post, but I'll try to summarize it here. This man can read everyone like a book; he can easily absorb and apply any type of information. He's also the only character who can manipulate everyone, including the AB boys, and even Carla was surprised by his intelligence in Dark Fate. I've said it before and I'll say it again: he could twist every DL main cast character around his finger if he wanted to, too bad he’s not good at reading himself.

2. Carla

Literally the Diaboy who would make the best king. Despite the fact that I can't bring myself to ship him with Yui because the couple is far too disturbing, he is a wise and great ruler. We were able to see that best in LE, he's good at plans, logical, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics that can help him get out of uncomfortable situations.

3. Shu

Shu may have many flaws, but he is undeniably intelligent. He appears apathetic, as if he doesn't care about anything, but he knows far more than you'd think. I believe he is the best candidate for king among the Sakamakis because he is open-minded and can reflect on his thought process.

4. Kino

Probably a very unpopular opinion since people don’t really seem to like Kino and yeah, he seems kind of dumb at times, but I'll give him credit for being a really good antagonist. He beat the Tsukinamis on this one; this guy is really good at devising different evil plans in order to sabotage the Diaboys, which I find really interesting.

5. Reiji, Ruki

The boys who like belittling others, despite being more on the booksmart side. They're very knowledgeable for sure, they both have a lot of information in their heads, and they're also more strategic than their brothers. In a nutshell, their intelligence is beneficial. However, because of their overconfidence, they are prone to reacting incorrectly when things do not go their way, which can lead to serious breakdowns.

6. Azusa

Azusa is most likely the character who speaks the least; he is timid and silent, but isn't it true that quiet people have the loudest minds? He pays close attention to everything that goes on around him, and I firmly believe that he is one of the best characters at seeing through people.

7. Kou

Another unpopular opinion since people like to portray Kou as a dumb guy, but that’s not the case. Sure, he doesn’t care about many things and doesn’t always pay attention to what others are saying but that’s because he simply doesn’t want to. I know Kou acts occasionally childish but he has a very mature point of view. Even if his magical eye allows him to read people’s hearts, he must be very cunning to know how to manipulate everyone based on this without coming across as obvious. Additionally, he has an unpredictable nature.

8. Ayato, Yui

Mr. “I’m impulsive and don’t care about others’ opinions” and Little Miss “I act without thinking and have to face consequences afterwards”. Not counting the fact that Yui has more morals and knows more about human stuff (since she’s human after all), they both have the same number of brain cells. Both canonically have little knowledge, they require help most of the time when doing something, and their plans are literally dead ends, BUT I can't deny they're very perceptive at times. I wrote more about Ayato here; he appears ignorant but notices important details and analyzes the behavior of those around him. The same can be said for Yui, who can also be a good observer.

9. Shin

He has more knowledge than Ayato and Yui and was quite clever in Ruki's DF route, but SORRY his LE route made him appear so stupid in my eyes. All of his problems could have been solved if he had tried to use his brain, but he didn't, which is why his route was so frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that every character has dumb moments, some more, others less, but come on... he didn’t try to logically solve his problems and only suddenly had the big realization to do so, which was IN HIS VAMPIRE ENDING. I excuse characters who make mistakes or act on a whim, but Shin crossed the line in LE. I can't imagine a Diaboy in his own route as dense as Shin was there; he kept getting himself into more and more trash, which is a shame because he would have been much higher on this list if they didn’t do him so dirty there.

10. Subaru, Yuma, Kanato

I feel bad for rating them so low because I really like Subaru and Yuma; Kanato is intriguing too, but the problem is that they almost never get the chance to prove themselves. I understand Subaru's situation because he doesn't have any deep bonds with anyone, after all, he's the only Sakamaki without a brother from the same mother, and he's also quite asocial, so it's not like he'd pay attention to anything that's not his business, but I really don't get why the others didn’t get a big chance to use their brains. Yuma is very useful though, but Kanato's case is a whole other story. I can’t deny that he’s actually sly sometimes but he was Laito's closest brother during childhood; why is Ayato the one to best analyze Laito and not him?? Ayato was literally locked away in his room all day, unlike him, who played with Laito on a daily basis… so much lost potential.

#yui komori #ayato sakamaki #kanato sakamaki #laito sakamaki #shu sakamaki #reiji sakamaki #subaru sakamaki #ruki mukami #kou mukami #yuma mukami #azusa mukami #carla tsukinami #shin tsukinami #kino #diabolik lovers #dialovers #admin #(I hope you meant from the main cast) #(if not then Karlheinz is the most intelligent one)

[asstrolo]

astrology post but I only talk about my placements

I'm doing this not only in a self-centered way but also as a physiological study about my own chart, trying to see if anyone else can relate.

sun aspecting chiron; I want to start by saying I don't feel any sort of responsibility towards anyone hehe, BUT this placement is difficult, depending on what kind of aspects are in play there are different results, the native that has this has sort of spiritual responsibility with unhealed souls and people they encounter look for their advice. These people suffer a lot (depending on house and sign as well) growing up, as they don't feel supported and have a really hard time asking for help, imposter syndrome is likely for these people too.

A little advice I'd give to people with this placement is to look for spirituality to heal or to feel supported, it helps a lot.

venus retrograde; when a person has this placement is hard to connect with the venusian parts of themselves, if they have Libra or Taurus placements it's good to check where and where are the houses located in Libra and Taurus, (ex; a Scorpio rising has Taurus in the 7th and Libra in the 12th) that'll tell us what is something that doesn't come easy to us, is harder to understand or make people like it when you're the one who's doing it. There's a lot that comes from this placement and it always takes us back to past relationships as it's difficult for them to learn lessons when it comes to love and relationships.

mercury opposite third house; very specific i know, you could also add it to mercury in a detrimental sign or squaring sun/ASC; having this is kind of a hit or miss, it force you to practice a lot in your words and your speech, as people tend to misunderstand what you're saying, either be offended by it or confused. If throughout your life you make no progress with the way you present your ideas and work on how you speak to others, you'll have the problem of forever being misunderstood. That's why I think this aspect is actually a lesson in astrology, you must learn how to better your introverted nature and fear of criticism.

moon aspecting neptune; any aspect between the moon and neptune has the same repercussions, your emotions could be based off of fantasy or ideas you created, having a hard aspect is somebody who always has anxious and negative thoughts that are far from the truth, thus they have the tendency to become addicted to substances that relaxes them. Having an easy aspect is somebody who idealizes everything and avoid negative situations with avoidance, having a conjunction is somebody who's aware that their fantasies are just fantasies.

Lilith in Aquarius, in an air sign or air house; having Lilith in the sign of connections and individuality gives a person uniqueness and their deepest emotions are something they are constantly trying to analyze and and understand those emotions instead of just feeling them. They are judged when they open up about their ideals and they can be seen as the odd one out. Having Lilith in an air house (the social signs) makes their interactions with people extra difficult or significant to ones identity,

-> Lilith in 3rd has trouble with communicating and people might get easily offended by this person's out of the box thinking, Lilith in 11th always have traumatic experiences with friends and people they know on internet, they have stalkers and people get obsessed with their social media persona, Lilith in 7th has bad experience with romantic partners and face injustice when it comes to their relationships, people take advantage of them and when there's conflict in relationship they're always the one to blame.

mars in hard aspects to jupiter; they have a hard time deciding what they want to do with their life and are prone to anger issues, i believe this placement is very complicated as growing up the person deals with a lot off negativity and suppressed emotions as they don't know how to express themselves very well. If you have this maybe you should consider activities that have to do with art or body movement to relieve the stress, you get stressed easily too.

this is super personal but having an aquarius moon and cancer rising, or aquarius and cancer in your big three is very complicated, I feel very overwhelmed by my emotions and when I can't analyze them I have a mental breakdown. Cancers are super emotional and sensitive beings, they can be moody and it's difficult for them to hide their feelings, Aquarius are the complete opposite to all of that. And it's HARDDDD

saturn conjunct jupiter; this conjunction is also called The Great Conjunction, these people are born for something great and important, depending on the house it's in, the things you want related to the house are delayed. For example, if you have a 5th in both Saturn and Jupiter while they conjunct, your desire is to live for art, to romanticize your life and to experience all the beautiful things life can offer, but it's hard to achieve this since maybe you were born into a serious and structured household, where you weren't allowed to express the more childlike parts of yourself. As you get older, and once you've gone through your first Saturn return, you'll work on making your ideas a reality.

I'm back on my stupid astrology bitch shit

#astrology #venus retrograde #Jupiter conjunct Saturn #lilith in aquarius #lilith in air house #sun aspecting chiron #aquarius moon #cancer rising #Mercury aspects #moon aspects #Jupiter aspects #astrology observations

[frostyhelltime]

I See You

(ft. HuskerDust)

Warnings: Little bit of angst on Angel's part, but this is mostly just hurt/comfort.

Prompt: "I see you. I see you, I always have and I always will." Prompt from @unfriendlywriter

Set before they're dating, but sometime after 'Loser, Baby'. I had a lot of fun making their graphics for this as well. Hope everyone likes it!

There's a blissful silence in the air as Husk polishes glasses behind the bar. No static that would allude to Alastor being near, no Nifty obsessively cleaning, no Charlie planning new group activities. Just. Peace.

Until a certain tall spider comes lumbering in, shoulders slumped low, and head pointed towards the ground. Husk doesn't even think Angel Dust is even aware of the weary sigh that leaves them as they trudge in, barely having the energy to even shut the front door behind him.

Husk is already grabbing a bottle and a glass for him but as soon as he pops the top off he hears Angel speak.

"I'm good Whiskers. I just...I just wanna go to bed. Maybe tomorrow." Angel waves him off sluggishly with two arms, which only makes Husk furrows his brows as if trying to analyze him.

"That bad huh?" He offers as he puts the lid back on the bottle, hesitating only a moment to see if Angel changes his mind and wants a drink after all. When Angel just sighs and keeps walking, Husk does finally put the bottle away.

"Wanna talk about it? People don't have to buy a drink to sit at my bar." He says before giving Angel a toothed grin.

"Least you don't anyway."

He's speaking genuinely, but also hopes the remark might make Angel chuckle even just a little. He doesn't, but he does let out a huff of air that Husk thinks could be close enough to a laugh that he thinks he's successful.

He does manage to get Angel to crack a smile with that one, though it is weak. But still, a smile is a smile.

"Maybe...I dunno. I don't wanna take up ya time and space if someone else comes in." Angel shrugs, looking for excuses for Husk to not comfort him. It's something foreign, having someone care about how he's doing. He's used to people only pretending to care to get what they want, usually his body or whatever it is they need. So his instinct is to try and dodge those attempts at care because it's hard to handle when they aren't genuine. He certainly wouldn't be able to handle it if Husk's care wasn't genuine. But that's a whole other issue to dig deep into as he's falling asleep.

But Husk doesn't hear any of Angel's thoughts, only what Angel says, so this time he waves Angel off with a lazy wave of his wrist.

"Most everyone is out as far as I know. And if someone does come in I can always take a break." He assured the taller one, who shifts nervously from foot to foot as he considers maybe...it would be okay to show that vulnerability to Husk again? Just this once of course. Husk busies himself with cleaning more glasses to not make Angel feel pressured into a decision one way or another.

"...Maybe but...I dunno. I just...talkin' out here in the open where someone can walk in...Maybe another time but thanks." Angel stumbles over his words until eventually he talks himself out of it and even Angel winces at how lame it sounds. Husk eyes him a moment, as if analyzing him like a math problem. He's trying to figure out how far is too far to push, but he doesn't feel good at all about letting Angel go in this state.

"...Break time it is."

"W...Wha?"

"I've decided it's time for a break. Let's head somewhere quieter to talk. Problem solved."

Husk says it so casually with a shrug of his shoulders that it just confuses Angel even more, as if it was natural to stop what he was doing to help him. By the time he processes what his feline companion has said, Husk has already put things away and is standing next to Angel, waiting only a little impatiently.

For the first time tonight Husk looks a little anxious standing next to him, hands in his pockets and waiting to be directed on where they're going to go.

When Angel comes back down to earth, he blinks a few times, standing up a bit straighter.

"Right. Yeah. Uh. We can talk in my room I guess?" Angel says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Husk only nods and gestures for him to start walking.

Neither Angel nor Husk can tell if the silence between them as they walk is peaceful or awkward, but either way they're happy to reach the door once they get there.

Angel goes in first, plopping down to sit on his bed as Fat Nuggets immediately crawls onto his lap, nuzzling into Angel eagerly to try and cheer him up.

Husk lets out a small chuckle at the admittedly adorable display and he shuts the door behind him, taking a seat right next to Angel Dust.

"Alright. So what's bothering you?"

"...The Big V. Who else?" He scoffs venomously, looking away.

"And Charlie enjoys singing. I figured that much. What did he do this time?" Husk relaxes as they begin talking im earnest, leaning back a little bit and getting comfortable.

"I just...I don't even know how to describe it. He makes....he makes me feel so worthless. Like all I'm good at and good for is his stupid fuckin' shoots." Angel grits out, hands pausing on Fat Nuggets a second.

"And when I can't even do that right..." He trails off, letting the end of his sentence go unspoken.

"I just feel...so damn invisible there. Even when all eyes are on me it feels like no one is really looking at me."

Angel hates that his voice takes on a choked sounding quality the further he talks, the tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. He turns away from Husk as if that would actually keep him from finding out.

It takes a moment for Husk to figure out what to say and then he reaches out to place his hand on top of one of Angel's, hesitating halfway there eventually deciding, fuck it, and placing his hand on top of his and giving a small squeeze.

"I see you."

It's the softest Angel Dust had ever heard Husk speak and it's so jarring he snaps his head back to look at Husk, forgetting he was trying to hide his tears moments ago.

"...What?"

Husk clears his throat, giving him his best comforting smile.

"I see you. I always have and I always will." Husk speaks with a little more confidence.

The tears that were only beginning to gather begin to flood now and Angel doubles over as his body is wracked with sobs, unable to stop himself, especially after the day he's had. Somehow it was both exactly what he needed to hear and also what pushes him past the tipping point. He doesn't know why it makes him snap, he just knows it does.

Maybe it's because he really is starting to believe Husk could be genuine, and somehow placing that vulnerability in another person's hands is terrifying and overwhelming.

But Husk doesn't judge him, just sneaks his free hand around to rub soothing circles on Angel's back as he lets him get it all out. Neither of them says anything for the duration of it, Husk out of respect and Angel out of shame.

But eventually Angel's cries do settle down into sniffles and he sits back up again, wiping what's left of the tears off his face before looking at Husk again.

"Yeah. Sorry. I...I don't know what came over me." He mumbles apologetically but Husk just shrugs. Angel only barely sees it in his peripheral because he's looking anywhere but at Husk.

"Nothing to be sorry about." He assured him, his voice soothing and neutral.

Husk's words just keep ringing in Angel's head over and over again though.

'I see you. I always have and I always will.'

Angel can't help but snort out a laugh now.

"Fuckin' liar. You didn't always see me. You hated me when I first showed up here." Angel laughs, although he still appreciates the sentiment.

But Husk just smiles like he knows something Angel doesn't.

"... Technically I didn't lie. Back then I saw you were hiding your real self. I didn't know why but I knew the you that you were presenting wasn't real...and I was right." Husk is appropriately wearing a mischievous Cheshire grin as he leans over to playfully poke Angel in the chest.

"So I still saw you, even if I was annoyed you weren't being honest." Husk's grin only grows wider when he sees the flush of red that finds itself on Angel's cheeks.

Angel opens and closes his mouth a few times as he struggles to think of words to say. But he comes up empty.

"...I...I...Thank you." Angel eventually whispers, smiling at Husk, genuinely smiling. It's a tired and exhausted smile, but it's genuine and it makes Husk relax, smiling back.

"Anytime. I'm going to head back to the bar and let you sleep." Husk pats his back as he stands up and Angel realizes how cold the top of his hand feels without Husk touching it and he's immediately standing too, Fat Nuggets letting out a small squeak of surprise before he lands on his feet on the ground. He only lets out one small huff before he seems happy again, his tail wagging, so Angel isn't too worried.

"Well since I feel better...maybe...a nice drink to relax after work doesn't sound so bad?" Angel isn't even sure what he's saying, he just knows he wants to follow him.

He thinks Husk knows it too because he flashes Angel the smile of a gambler on a winning streak and it makes his heart race.

"I'll make something extra good for you when you come down. See you in a few minutes?" He offers, wanting to allow Angel time alone to collect himself before going if he needed it.

"See you in a few." Angel nods, confirming their plans as he sits back down on his bed a moment, watching Husk wave goodbye as he leaves, shutting the door behind him to give Angel some privacy.

He can't help the goofy smile on his face as he fixes himself back up to look presentable before he heads back down to meet Husk at the bar, who is already standing there, waiting with a knowing grin and some bright pink concoction that suits Angel Dust perfectly already sitting in a glass on a napkin, waiting for it's owner to take a seat.

#hazbin hotel #husker #husker hazbin hotel #angel dust hazbin hotel #angel dust #huskerdust #hazbin hotel imagine

[princesssarisa]

Autism (and possible ADHD) headcanon: Alice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Through the Looking-Glass)

This analysis is based on the books, but most of it applies to Disney's Alice too.

Now of course she wasn't written with either autism or ADHD in mind: no concept of either existed when the books were written. Some people might argue that all the "evidence" below is just her being a seven-year-old child. But all these qualities make her relatable to neurodivergent people, and whose to say that she wouldn't be diagnosed as neurodivergent if she were a real person and lived today?

Autism evidence

*Alice is a very inward little girl. Not only do both books literally take place mostly in her mind, but even within her dreams she's constantly thinking, daydreaming, analyzing, and imagining things. She sometimes gets so lost in her thoughts and fantasies that she forgets all about what's currently happening, or about the other characters, and they sometimes notice this (e.g. "You're thinking about something, my dear, and that makes you forget to talk.").

*She constantly talks to herself and pretends to be two people.

*In what little we see of her life in the real world, she's never shown playing with children her own age. She's content to play by herself, talking to her kittens, creating elaborate fantasies, or even playing a game of croquet against herself.

*She's precocious and smart, with a good (though imperfect) memory for facts she's learned in school, and she likes to show off her knowledge, both to others and to herself. She knows many "grand words" that other children her age don't know (e.g. "latitude," "longitude," "jurors"), and she enjoys saying them out loud, even when she doesn't know what they mean. In Wonderland, when she tries to recite the lessons and poems she's memorized and finds herself comically mangling them, her core sense of self is shaken.

*Despite being sane and sensible compared to the fantasy characters she meets, Alice is more than a little eccentric herself. She constantly daydreams and talks to herself, as mentioned. She comes up with outlandish fantasies, like mailing Christmas presents to her own feet, or that different foods change people's temperaments, or that people in New Zealand and Australia walk upside-down. Her confusing experiences in Wonderland make her wonder if she's still Alice or if she's become a different person. The fact that her adventures in Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land are dreams make her seem all the more eccentric in hindsight: those two fantasy worlds and all the strange things in them are creations of Alice's own mind.

*Even though she tries to always be proper and polite, she sometimes makes offensive remarks without meaning to. For example, when she praises her cat Dinah's skill at catching mice and birds in front of a mouse and group of birds, or when she calls three inches "a wretched height" while talking to a three-inch caterpillar. She also throws manners aside and talks back to adults whenever she thinks they're being especially rude or unreasonable.

*She often seems to imitate the adults in her life. When she remembers to check the "Drink Me" bottle and make sure it's not marked "poison," or when she scolds herself for crying or for lolling on the grass, she's clearly parroting what she's heard from adults. Likewise, when she scolds the pig-baby for grunting, or her kitten for all its mischief and "bad manners," she's obviously affecting a tone that adults have taken with her. All the scolding and correcting she does, especially to herself, might also imply that she's a child who's been scolded and corrected especially often.

*She's often described as speaking "shyly" or "timidly" – though as mentioned, she can be bold to the point of impertinence when she's pushed far enough.

*She dislikes books without pictures, and she can make no sense of the poem Jabberwocky – even though its plot is easy for most real-world readers to follow – because there are too many made-up words in it. Now, these don't necessarily imply that she has trouble with reading comprehension, but they might.

*One throw-away line in Through the Looking-Glass implies that she's a picky eater. When she brings up the subject of having to go without meals as punishment, she says she would rather go without them than eat them anyway.

*She's particularly annoyed by certain small noises and sensations – like Bill the Lizard's pencil squeaking at the trial in the first book, or the Gnat's tiny sigh that tickles her ear in the second.

*Both stories consist of her wandering through nonsense worlds, being baffled by their strange rules and customs, and being ordered around, corrected, and judged negatively by the strange creatures she meets, just because her logic is different from theirs. For those of us on the autism spectrum, this is a relatable experience.

ADHD evidence

*She tends to be impulsive, particularly in the first book. For example, she goes down the rabbit hole without thinking of how she'll ever get out again, and later drinks the potion in the White Rabbit's house without knowing if it will make her grow or shrink just because she's anxious for some change in her size. This isn't a matter of not knowing better – she sometimes tells herself what she should do, only to act on her impulses anyway. Or, in other words, she gives herself very good advice, but she very seldom follows it.

*She can be verbally impulsive too: for example, her careless remarks about Dinah catching mice and birds.

*She's prone to daydreaming, as mentioned above.

*She sometimes has trouble controlling her emotions, most memorably when she cries a big pool of tears after growing to the size of a giant. She tells herself she should be ashamed for crying so much, but she can't stop.

*She can be easily distracted, especially by her own imagination, and in the first chapter of Through the Looking-Glass, she flits from subject to subject while talking to her kitten.

*She's easily bored and always in search (literally or figuratively) of some new adventure or amusement. One of the things she most dislikes is "having nothing to do."

#autism headcanon #adhd headcanon #alice #alice's adventures in wonderland #through the looking glass #alice in wonderland #autism #adhd #audhd #neurodiversity #headcanon #fictional characters

[pftones3482]

i saw your post and i get where you're coming from as a fellow adult fan, but it's a kids show. the pacing is more than perfect. i recognize that a huge portion of the audience is adult fans who read pjo as a kid, but the show is still a children's show for children. if you look at it for what it is and who it's for, and not what you imagined it to be or for adults like us, the pacing is great. i'm not knocking you for complaining but i just wanted to gently put that out there in case you planned to do in depth analysis https://www.tumblr.com/pftones3482/738896974585184256/people-saying-the-pjo-tv-series-is-just-as-fast

It kind of drives me nuts when people see an adult critique a kids show and say, "Oh well you're an adult, of course it's too fast for you."

No.

I'm a writer. I have a literal degree in writing. I know what good pacing looks like. Book to TV show adaptions will always be paced a little faster, because books just naturally have a lot more exposition. That is a given, and I expected it. TV shows (and movies) also tend to have a lot of scenes cut out that aren't crucial to plot. I also expected that.

I love a lot of things about the new PJO show - I think the way they did Medusa this time was an incredible choice. I love the new tension between Annabeth and her mom, and the parallels between Annabeth and Medusa.

I love that they focused more on Grover's Uncle Ferdinand - I always thought the book kind of glossed over the fact that he was his family, and they didn't really give Grover time to mourn his loss.

But we needed the scene where Percy learns to sword fight with Luke. We need the introduction of ambrosia and nectar - that's a crucial world building element that hasn't been mentioned once. We're missing scenes that really hammer home the kids personalities, and while they've done a pretty good job putting some in (Annabeth scooping all the candy was cute, Grover being grumbly and not a morning person another good one), I feel like they're too focused on moving the plot forward rather than building the world, which is the whole purpose of a first season in a show.

I blame season dropping - even though PJO is a week by week release, it feels like it was written to be an all-at-once season drop. Like every episode I need to instantly jump to the next one.

Also like...I'm not shitting on people who like the series. Again, I think it's cute. I think the actors are doing an incredible job. I think everyone's individual personality fits who their characters are, and I could go on for hours about the detail in the sets.

"The show is for children" children still deserve a well paced show. And frankly, I think the adults who read the books and are pretty well versed in analyzing writing and media are probably the best critics of it.

(This just in - you can be critical of something and still enjoy it. Imagine that)

#asks #anon #pjo #if you don't like my take on media then don't interact with it man idk #block me idc #but don't come in my inbox and whine because i dont agree with every choice the director made

[multimystica]

Card of the Day!

Once more the same image, ik it's repetitive but I've run out of Photoshop so I may just start numbering these so y'all don't think it's the same post repeatedly. xD This is #4. Also, please remember to follow me, like and reblog! It'd help me immensely, thank you a lot!

So take a breath, think of the situation of choice and choose your card, then scroll down! I finally learned how to add the see more thing so y'all won't have to scroll past a giant post, YAY!!! :)

Card 1 - The Emperor

Rules, stability, structure! These are the themes for today. Needless to say, authority is quite relevant today.

First of all it's time to pay attention to who's in charge here, be it you, your father, a boyfriend, or a boss. This person may be quite authoritarian today, make an effort to follow their rules so things go their way, or else. *threatening tone*

In general, it's important to follow rules and to respect authorities today, but let's move on to more specific meanings.

Someone may be very controlling today - it'd be wise to evaluate wether this is a healthy thing or not. If unhealthy, it is of utmost importance that your boundaries are set today, keep them up.

In case you're the authority here (are you a parent, someone's boss, or the leader anywhere? are you in a leader-less place and feel the need to step up?) - Take charge, build foundations, set your rules and boundaries, make sure to step up to your role or you may be overthrown. Also, make sure to do so in a healthy way, don't be an asshole, know the difference between leadership and oppression, you must instill respect, but make sure you don't mistake that for instilling fear. It is also the time to be ambitious.

If you're on the bottom of the food chain - Make sure to follow the rules today, try not to be too proud, it may be a day to swallow your pride. Keep your job well done, try to stay in the good side of those above you, if you do it well enough you might be rewarded. This is definitely not the day to question orders, at all. Don't fuck up, The Emperor is strict.

Whoever you are and whatever your role may be in the power dynamic at hand, make sure your boundaries are in place & respect is maintained to and from other people. Watch out for unhealthy power dynamics, as they're likely to be shown clearly today. Also a good day for self-reflection on wether you're being too authoritarian, too strict, not placing boundaries or placing too many, anyways, take a look at the Emperor's qualities and analyze wether you're lacking or overdoing them.

Card 2 - The Empress

Creation, nurturing & mothering! These are today's main themes, along with self-care which is also quite important today.

This is a good time to care for yourself and others, but look at your own needs first. Let's go.

If you've been putting others first all the time or neglecting self-care routines - This is the time to take the day for yourself, put yourself first for once, for God's sake! Idk what your schedule is like today, but if there is any flexibility on it, it may be best to push your plans aside and care for yourself!! Make sure to eat well and nourish yourself, hydrate enough and get enough rest. This may also represent a day to be taken care of by someone else, a spa day, take a break!!! Self-care comes first for you today, no matter what. It's also a good day for getting your hair and nails done, shopping, and getting a makeover,

Now, if you always put yourself first and self-care has been kept in check - Take a look around! Look for people who need to be taken care of for the day. Your friend is down with covid? Go to their place, cook them a hearty meal and do some chores on their behalf. That's an example, but it illustrates well the idea. It's the day to do mother-like gestures for other people around you. Make sure everyone around you is well taken care of, well nourished, well rested, well hydrated, watch out for other people's needs and help them out!!! Have them take the day off for self-care if you see fit. Both topics above are specially important if you're a mother, pay attention to yourself and your children and which of you needs a day off to be taken care of for today

If you're a creative person or into arts and crafts - Today is a great day to work on your creative projects! It's also a good day to go out shopping or redecorating your home. The sky is the limit, go all out on that today. If you've been experiencing a creative block, today is the best day for you to try and overcome it, yet if it remains blocked after your attempts today, go down the self-care route and indulge yourself a bit.

If you have a eating disorder or health issues - Good healthy nourishment and care for your physical needs are a must for today, trust me. Take your bodily signs very seriously today, if anything pops up, go to the damn doctor right away! Don't procrastinate it.

A few general random tips for today - Be generous and giving. Comfort foods may come in handy today. Self indulgence is not a sin for today, it's also good to indulge others if you can. Listen to your body today, bodily needs are top priority for now. If you're into gardening, that's a great day for taking care of it as well. Also a good time for sensuality (have a dead bedroom? This is the day to bring it back to life).

Card 3 - The Lovers

Choices, love, and cooperation! These are the main themes for today, as well as personal responsibility.

In general, this is the time to make choices and celebrate all forms of love be it friendships, partnerships, committed relationships, significant others, all sorts of love. Let's get into specifics.

If you're presented with a decision or choice today - First of all, be aware your mind and heart must be aligned for it, and it's equally important that you know that if you go down a path it's likely that the other option will be sacrificed. Take your time to think it through and be certain of what you want before you decide so you don't later regret your decision.

If you've been thinking of moving forward with something - This is your confirmation to moving forward with your plans.

If you're wondering wether to take a love relationship to the next level - This is your sign that it's safe to move forward with that as long as you keep your needs in mind. This card is also a reminder that for you to love another you must learn to love yourself first so do some self-reflection about self-love and your needs before you take action to move forward with it. If your needs are being unmet yet you feel like taking this relationship to the next level, sort out your needs beforehand to avoid problems down the line. Either way, beware of relationships where you're looking for a emotional/spiritual connection but the partner is only concerned with physical connection with zero interest on something deeper. Communicate your expectations clearly and see if they're on the same page so they don't get the wrong impression.

If none of the above applies to you today - Take a good look around, there are good chances someone is interested on you, admiring you from a distance and you're not aware of it at all. A new love interest might just pop-up unexpectedly.

#tarot witch #tarot reading #channeled message #channeled reading #lightworker #rider waite smith #rider waite tarot #card of the day #card reading #pick a card #pick a pile #divination #oracle #oraculo #tarot #tarot cards #tarot community #tarotblr #tarot deck #witchblr #witch community #witchcraft #spellwork #spellcasting #advice #spiritual guidance #please reblog #cartomancy #oraculism #message from spirit

[ca-suffit]

It's so annoying when Nalyra and this book group use excuses like this as if we're all dumb. There's lots of people who talk about the books and the show without being racist about it. The deeper issue here is not because people haven't read the books and think what you're saying is shocking.... What's really happening is that this group of BFFs loves to remove all mention of race from everything. They love pretending you can just overlay the books to the AMC show and it's a perfect match. Then, when anyone mentions how important it is to factor in race when discussing these things, here comes the screaming victimhood and all the "it's what's in the book" gifs. The "I'm sorry you just can't handle gothic literature SWEETIE" attitudes that are v tiring. Any race can be racist too (isn't that this group's favorite line too, they should know....) and only care for the wellbeing of white fandom, so these brown emojis or black fans who will make callout lists on other black fans under the language of calling out "fandom issues" or "antis" aren't fooling anyone to what the real motivation is behind it. People who worship Anne Rice are always going to be airheads who can't take criticism because look at your girl and all she was ever doing. Any adult who wants to defend her or the books is not a critical thinker or an intellectual. It's v possible to discuss her and the books without the stan goggles on. The black fans this group is always sneering at do it all the time. That's probably where the real issue lies, because it's done much better than the horseshit fanon Nalyra, Virgnia, and the rest are slinging and thinking is epic meta or something. I lurked for a long time before coming here to start pointing this out. I've seen these egos get bigger since the show has been off the air and book people crawled out from the depths to try and tell everyone "what's going to happen." It's a stupid power trip and nothing else. This group doesn't have the ability to analyze anything like they think they do, so they've grown together since the show stopped airing to start harassing other fans and pretend they're the victims just because they don't think talking about race is important in their....erm...."analysis" lol. They only think they have power because the fandom became smaller when S1 ended. They're gonna be muted again when it comes back because they aren't keeping up with the themes of the show and their takes aren't interesting. Saying the white man is always innocent, the black man is lying, the brown man is manipulative is what society already does. It's boring and it's not what the show has shown us in its own canon that it's doing. This group and white fandom in general love to take an inch and run a mile with it. Whenever anyone (but especially Jacob) mentions Louis might be a liar or an unreliable narrator they're jumping on the chance to spread that statement over every part of the story. They want so much for all of it not to be true because they need Lestat to be the good guy. They always claim they love stories about monsters except their favorite white guy can't even stay a monster for them to adore him. He can't ever even be any kind of fuck up and grow from it, he's just supposed to immediately be perfect. What's the point of the story then ffs? This is why you need to read other books that aren't written by idiot, egomaniacal authors who don't have editors and are in love with their own creations. If you always find a way to excuse the white characters, say all the black and brown characters are the unreliable, scheming ones, and scream and yell "it's what's in the books" whenever anyone reminds you to notice race......then you're just racist, girl. It's not even a mystery lol so stop this crap like you're fooling anyone. You can be as loud as you want but it doesn't mean you're actually a victim of anything but your own racist stupidity. Just because Anne Rice didn't get as much pushback as she deserved in her dumb life doesn't mean you're going to get the same treatment. It's 2024, bitch.

#interview with the vampire #amc interview with the vampire #interview with the vampire amc #amc iwtv #iwtv amc #iwtv 2022 #fandom racism

[lorata]

I’m loving the “outsider/insider perspective” fic that’s going on re: the Games. Your Rowan and Blake, @cloversworldsblog’s bit about the outlier Victors and Alec, it’s so good and it helps add so many layers to the worldbuilding! The idea of the people who “know” (or think they do) the Games, and yet, they really don’t know everything.

For Rowan, the thing that caught me was the whole attitude about the 74th being a love story-how clearly the Centre sees that it’s just that, a story, how the rules change wasn’t ever going to last, even how Katniss was fully prepared to shoot Peeta in the end (a kind of ruthlessness Two would begrudgingly approve of). But even though they *know* it’s just an angle, the word comes down from the Capitol, and Two falls in line, parrots the storyline even though they don’t believe it.

Also, I’d love to see a story with Two’s Mentors (it would have to be Two, One is too resentful and Four is in that odd space) dealing with the outlier Districts, and just flat out telling them, “You would have done the exact same thing if you had the chance. To save your children, you would make the same choice we did, and if you deny it you’re lying.”

"You would have done the exact same thing if you had the chance" is exactly the undercurrent and the tension that plays in a lot of the mentor interactions, and I swore I wrote that precise line in a Ronan scene somewhere but I can't find it so maybe I imagined it? or maybe it's just like ............ so steeped in all the unsaid even though he's never actually said it aloud, haha

I'm really loving the discussions and interplay that's coming out of things lately as well! Chaff's "I'm nothing like him" (Alec) is incredibly damning but it IS the mystique that the Capitol -- and the Centre machine itself -- work so very hard to maintain on many different levels. D2 kids die, yes, but choose to be there. D2 victor prostitution is "different" because they choose their targets; they aren't sold, they're selling themselves. D2 victors might be disfigured or traumatized but they wanted this so they can't complain.

as someone who was around in the early 2010s and saw how the prevailing fandom attitudes were basically ... well, the above, it's really gratifying to see such rich, nuanced conversations happening around all the districts and the propaganda that goes into keeping the people divided. partly due to people growing up but even new & young fans are having these discussions, partly, i think, due to like ... world events that have happened since. a 14yo in 2012 has had a very, very different life experience than a 14yo in 2022

also just as an aside since you mentioned it, Katniss and Peeta have very different skillsets as far as the Centre is concerned and it makes for fascinating watching. Peeta has the crowd work while Katniss does not -- they point this out, that he's the one who's been giving her audience appeal, he's the one who (if he weren't bleeding to death) could have walked out with sympathy by throwing the knife away at the same time Katniss pointed the arrow, but he lacks survival skills. Katniss has a singleminded ruthlessness (in the Marco Animorphs sense, where she can see the bright, clear line from A to B) that makes survival possible, but the audience doesn't like her and she makes very little effort to do so until forced. they need each other and it was a fascinating game to analyze, from a strategy standpoint.

the trainers always assumed the rule change would be revoked at an appropriately dramatic point, but they also thought that whoever won would be a disappointment without the other as complement. a weird game to play and no clear resolution, until the kids blew the whole thing up

not one that would work for any of you, indeed

#lorata answers #westbrookwestbooks #we must be killers: tales from district 2