#another way the school system has failed us

[shuinami]

Jess and Hobie: their defining strengths + their weaknesses

I had a thought about Hobie while I was writing, have been thinking about Jess for a while and then this post about Miguel came out and it made me kind of want to yap. I'll only talk about Hobie and Jessica here because I'm biased + Peter & Gwen have been talked about a lot + I linked a post about Miguel + Miles & Pav have simpler, more obvious flaws that basically come down to youthful naivety.

I also find it really interesting that their flaws are basically opposites, Hobie's comes from "inconsistency" whilst Jessica's comes from stubbornness. And again, both these flaws come from their greatest strengths.

TL;dr

Jess' defining strength is her resolve when it comes to fighting for what's right and tussling with destiny but it causes her to have a one-track mind, even if it comes to dedicating herself to something wrong (from being misguided).

Hobie's defining strength is his optimism (e.g. anarcho-communism) but the extreme difficulty of pursuing those ideals and the struggle against systems can bring that optimism to a breaking point, causing him to be inconsistent or, more directly, to give up.

I think people forget that Jessica's pregnancy is by design and not just a 'feature' of Jessica Drew as a character. She was deliberately chosen to be represented in this stage of her life and I think it is so important to her character, even if it's not in the traditional way that pregnancy is typically portrayed as in media.

I think her pregnancy shows the kind of person she is: most obviously, it's cold, hard evidence that she's a bamf who takes care of spidey business even while pregnant.

More importantly to me, though, there's an implication that, as her universe's one and only spidey, she has been the one to save the day and been the change she wishes to seek, effectively enough that she feels comfortable bringing a baby into the world.

Unlike someone like Peter, she does not make the choice between bringing her child to work with her or leaving them behind. She just has to do what she needs to do to make sure her kid is safe, there's no failing for her. During her pregnancy, it's always going to be a matter of life and death. Jess is well aware and, instead of shying away from action, she's just committed to not making those kinds of mistakes. To get over her losses. She's going to take charge of her own world's destiny as she has always done and she's going to make sure it's good.

Her strong allegiance to Miguel's ideas is her most glaring flaw to us as an audience because A. we're seeing things through Miles' eyes, she's standing in the way of him saving his father and B. we know that Miguel can't be right about canon events - we know they wouldn't make the movies as bleak as that.

Of course, taking a step back from our perspective, it's also a flaw because she is being antagonistic to a teenager as a grown adult. It might make her seem cold and harsh.

However, Jess was the one to vouch for Gwen, to take her in, even though Miguel didn't want her to and they could have left things up to the web of destiny. Jess trusts her own capabilities but she doesn't trust the world to be kind. She doesn't assume Gwen can handle things just because she can, either. On top of being sympathetic, I think her dedication to being the change she wishes to see is why she accepts Gwen as a student; she trusts that a young girl can make the world a better place too, it's not a thing where she wants to micromanage everything. She just wants to know the multiverse is in safe hands. That's her "great responsibility".

The only reason she is following the anti-Miles agenda is because Miles, as far as she and anybody else in-movie knows, is jeopardising the existence of every universe (insidiously via the holes). Maybe, in another position, say, a bright-eyed teen who mainly worried about high school and puppy love, she would be more willing to risk things, to see how it goes.

She's not in that position though. Her world that she felt confident she had the power to keep safe has been made uncertain. One day, it could just go poof, along with her baby, and she wouldn't be able to stop it in the moment. If she makes the right decision now, if she doesn't make a mistake, she can prevent it. It's understandable that she's going to do whatever it takes to prevent anomalies.

What was the canon event chosen to represent her?

Her version of the moment from "The Final Chapter".

It comes from a story that largely focuses on Peter's personal life before spiralling into action to make up for a mistake that has made Aunt May fatally ill. In the panel, Spider-Man is trapped under machinery with the cure - the thing that will absolve the mistake - just out of reach. As the lair is flooded, drowning is imminent.

Against all odds, though, Spider-Man pushes past what should have killed him and rises to the occasion, with the thoughts of saving Aunt May and refusing to have a repeat of Uncle Ben.

"I won't fail you. No matter what - I won't fail."

Jess has had to handle her own fate as well as her world's. Now that the multiverse is involved, it's not going to stop at her own universe. She has to stop this. She won't fail. As per the dialogue between her and Gwen in ATSV, she's made a mistake before (by getting too close to someone) but she tells Gwen "I got over it". Sounds so savage in the moment but she still gives Gwen a chance to make her own situation right before letting her get kicked off the team. Helping Gwen in spite of the anomaly would be a mistake if she couldn't handle this.

And when the Spot gets away and Miles enters the picture? The gloves come off. It's tempting fate at that point. Jess' no mistakes mindset pushes her to even prepare to roll up on a teenager.*

Her greatest strength is her resolve - I mean, hell, she doesn't let even pregnancy slow her down when it comes to saving the world - but it causes her to be stubborn and leads her down a misguided path.

*By the end of the film, she seems to be questioning Miguel's method, though. On top of the fact that BTSV is obviously going to end on a good note, I think Jess' fight against destiny is going to have her come around in the end as Miles is doing the same thing.

Onto Hobie:

I luv luv luv Hobie as much as everyone else, he's definitely my favourite but I feel he has his flaws too (which tend to make me love my faves more lol).

In fact, I think he says what they are when we first meet him, though they are veiled as jokes.

I find that the audience tends to position him as a perfect distillation of anarcho-communism at its best. I think the teen spideys see him in a similar light; they see him as effortlessly cool & charismatic, a wise mentor figure ("use your palms" + his play fighting with Pavitr featured him taking on the stance of a boxing trainer as Pavitr tried to punch his palms) but he's not like the adult adults - he's relatable, he's cool, he's anarchist, he's not always on their case like Jess and Miguel.

He neither calls himself a hero nor a role model... but he is the perfect hero and role model, right? He's the best! He's the only one who's looking out for Miles and, when Miles is getting chased down by the entire society, what does he do?

He... quits.

Wouldn't that perfect hero we all believe him to be swoop in with his cape, know exactly what to do and save Miles, the underdog? He can't have possibly known Miles would manage against the society and, if he knew it was possible, then why wouldn't he lend a hand? He didn't drop off the watch in Miles' dimension, he gave one to his bestie, Gwen, likely in the scenario that she wanted to quit or got booted because 'it [didn't] work out'.**

I think Hobie's major flaw is his lack of consistency, as he famously said himself.

He has a strong moral code - he believes in the right things for the right reasons... but communism and anarchy are pretty much impossible to properly/entirely employ in a system that is consumerist, capitalist and authoritarian. He riots, he fights, but it's never over. London isn't free. In my experience, people with strong moral compasses tend to have issues with themselves because they hold others to higher standards than most and hold themselves to even higher and impossible standards (think Diane from Bojack Horseman).

One of the first comic panels I encountered of Hobie was him getting real with Captain Anarchy about losing morale because, despite killing President Ozzy Osborne, the face of fascism in his dystopia, nothing changes. He wasn't able to save the world like a hero in a movie or like a proper role model. He 'failed'. When you give your everything and nothing changes, no matter how optimistic, clever or read-up on theory you are, it can be hard to keep going.

And what is chosen as his defining canon event?

His version of Spider-Man quitting in "Spider-Man No More". Rather than being fed up with the world antagonising him as 616 is, Hobie is done with an antagonistic world.

The Hobie/Spider-Punk that has been built up externally, as far as I understand, would never give up. He'd keep raging forever and ever because that's the cool thing to do, because it's the heroic thing to do - because it's the right thing to do.

But under the mask, he's just a teenager, imperfect as any other.

He's still a Spider-Man too. Before the bite, he was another lanky black boy in racist-af, peak National Front, send-the-blacks-and-the-Asians-back, '70s England. He's a nerd, as evidenced by his ability to build such a high-tech watch, especially as a teenager who wouldn't have had access to anything like it until joining the society, meaning he had to pick it up quick. And I'm to think he didn't have any Flash-esque characters in his life? "Come out of it."

As Spider-Man with the mask on, he yells to the rooftops; as Hobie with the mask off, he mumbles and whispers. Sure he looks cool now but people don't tend to come out of the womb as Spider-Punk. On top of that, he's still so young and surely has plenty of room to grow.

I believe he joined the society in earnest, optimistic that he could help the multiverse but eventually reached his limits with actively facilitating death and trauma, with saving the multiverse not meaning freedom in his own universe, with being shackled to the web of destiny. I'm not convinced he made the watch in one day; I think he had been planning on quitting for some time and was waiting for the right moment (as he also wanted to support Gwen because friendship is important to him). That's why he tries to dissuade Miles from joining but, when he does leave, he doesn't go out in a riot, he doesn't even leave knowing that Miles has people on his side other than him. Hobie just quits.

I think his greatest strength is his optimism (his anarcho-communism & adamance about "love, joy and freedom" as per the un-permitted performance art pieces in his montage) but he's smart and he's been through shit - he isn't naive like Pavitr or Miles - the great heights of that optimism lead to intensely low lows.

**(I don't really see why or how he would have been able to predict everything that happened in the chase. I know that the watch is set to 1610 but if Hobie believed Miles would make it out of 928 and get back to 1610, would that not be things 'working out'? Or did he predict that he would get to the go-home machine but was the only one who considered that he would be sent to the place his spider came from. Why? And why wouldn't he set the watch to 42 if he knew Miles wouldn't be in 1610? I feel like the 1610 on the interface is just there to be there and that Hobie gave Gwen the watch so she could have the freedom to leave 65 if she wanted to, in the event that she quit the society because they captured Miles or because Miguel kicked her out as Jess kept warning.)

#i luv them #atsv spoilers #across the spiderverse spoilers #across the spiderverse #jessica drew #atsv jessica #hobie brown #spider punk #atsv analysis #shui meta

[colourstreakgryffin]

Academy AU! Muzan (pretty sure he's a politician there lmao) crushing on physics teacher s/o in Kimetsu Academy? Thought it be kinda cute lmao

Aaah. We’re going on a Kimetsu Academy roll, aren’t we? Yes, Muzan is a evil politician that wants to rule Japan! Let’s see if I can figure out how to apply Muzan into the Kimetsu Academy

Kibutsuji Muzan

Muzan is constantly trying to overthrow Ubuyashiki Kagaya and his wife, Amane by sending in specific of his workers to behave as undercover information-gatherers. Sometimes, he has to go to the Kimetsu Academy himself in his own disguise when his subjects fail

Muzan just can’t stop gazing at you afterwards he first meets you when you introduce him to the school, excited and polite whilst knowledgeably explaining everything. Under his teacher persona, you helped him get accustom to the Kimetsu Academy. His eyes were forming love hearts whilst watching you as you pointed out his apparent classroom

Muzan starts to almost neglect his own position as a politician in favour of teaching some brats on a subject he barely knows so he can idolise you in the teacher’s lounge room. He doesn’t even care about anything but getting to know you

Muzan has been carefully adding you into his “rule Japan” plan from the very beginning and is all ready to throw his secretaries in the garbage for you. He isn’t going to tell you about his secret, just of yet as he needs to make you fall in love with him back

Muzan wants to impress you, the best he can so he starts to study your signature subject, Physics in his private time. Your enthusiasm over Physics is adorable to him and he simply loves watching you rant over the material you must teach your students. You’re just so innocent

Muzan is so favouritistic towards you. He hates literally everybody else in the entire Academy, other than you. Where he treats you like a queen, following you with lovestruck eyes whilst you just viewed him as a nice friend and a fellow Physics enthusiast

Muzan, thanks to his position as a Politician, has quite a lot of funds to his name and anytime you tell him that you need something, he has it delivered to your door in a few hours at the most. Rather you actually become his partner or not, he will continue to spoil you and spoil you rotten in hopes you will accept him one day

Muzan just wants you to be his so bad that it hurts, you’re a mediocre but significant teacher a the Kimetsu Academy and he is a high-level, all-powered politician. Anytime he wants something, he gets it. No matter what may happen, he will have you one way or another and he doesn’t mind tearing down the whole Academy to make sure you become his spouse

“Oh… so it’s like this? Back at my off— my school, we had a special system. This strict system isn’t something I’m use to. Will you keep helping me to grow accustom to this style? It’s just… really weird for me”

#kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #anime and manga #kny imagines #headcanons #kny upper moons #upper moons #kny demon king #demon king #kibutsuji muzan #muzan kibutsuji #kny muzan #demon slayer muzan #muzan x reader #muzan kibutsuji x reader #muzan jackson #muzan headcanons #muzan fluff #kimetsu no yaiba muzan #kibutsuji kny #kimetsu academy #kimetsu academy au #politician Muzan #it’s so random #Muzan is a interesting one

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

For the Crowley interaction event how about him getting lunch one day and a food fight breaks out in the cafeteria? It can be a mob student or a main boy that starts it I just want to know how he reacts and deals with it or not.

Enter; An Unkindness of Ravens.

Meat pie, meat pie🎵

Crowley hummed in his head as he fell into the cafeteria line. He could smell the spices and hearty game meat stewing in the kitchen. His mouth watered, eager to sink his teeth into a slice.

Students inched forward, drifting to vacant tables with trays of food and drink. The system the school had in place was streamlined, efficient--before long, Crowley was the next to be served.

“Ah, headmaster. Here for your lunch break, I see,” one of the chefs greeted. He plopped an entire meat pie onto a platter and slid it toward Crowley. "There you are, an extra-large helping of your favorite!"

"Thank you, my good ghost," Crowley responded with the tip of his hat. "Please do keep up the excellent work!"

"Anytime. I know how hard you work to keep this school running. It's the least I can do to help fill your stomach."

"Fufufu, and it is very much appreciated~"

While Crowley exchanged pleasantries with the ghost chef, he failed to take note of the students in his surroundings. The usual murmurs had grown tense, like a rope pulled in two different directions. Shifty eyes met one another, fingers fidgeting.

Then, in the midst of the tentative peace, one boy's voice rang out.

"FOOD FIGHT!"

Hell broke loose in the cafeteria. Students were suddenly out of their seats, food flying, people racing for the exit or ducking under chairs to avoid the incoming fire.

Sebek made a desperate leap to defend his liege from mashed potatoes, Jamil hurried Kalim out, using his own body as an unwilling shield. Ace and Deuce were targeting each other, and on the opposite side of the room, Epel was flinging spoonfuls of applesauce, much to his dorm members' horror. Floyd busied himself with trying to catch wayward food in his gaping mouth. Riddle shouted over the chaos, attempting to gain control of the frenzy--no one listened.

"Oh, sweet, merciful Seven!!" Crowley cried out in distress. “G-Gentlemen, let’s calm ourselves and put down the—eeeep!!”

"Take cover, sir!" the ghost chest warned, diving under a table himself.

Crowley yelped at a rogue banana chucked his way. He managed to dodge it, only to find a gravy stain blooming on his vest. The next hit was to his tray, knocking his meal to the ground in an unceremonious heap, crust ruined and meaty innards oozing out.

"M-My clothes!!" he pathetically wailed. "My meat piiiiie!!!"

The food fight continued, unaware of his plight.

A great wave of irritation overcame Crowley. They will never learn right from wrong without a stern hand to guide them.

Slamming his tray down, he seized his walking stick in its place. Magic welled up from within him, bringing about a rain of shimmering light at his command.

At once, the frantic scene was put on pause. Limbs locking, food dropping to the ground.

"Hey, what gives?"

“Why can’t I move?!”

“M-My body…!”

"That's enough of that," Crowley announced, making his presence known. He folded his arms and tutted disapprovingly. “Really, now! I expect better behavior of my students!!”

"He started it!" the boys chorused. Crowley suspected that they would be pointing at one another, were it not for his spell freezing them in place. A few dissenting voices--Riddle ("I tried to control them, headmaster!!") and Sebek ("THE YOUNG MASTER HAS DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE THIS CRUELTY! PUNISH ME IF YOU MUST, BUT NOT HIM!") only contributed to the madness.

"Regardless of who did and did not instigate, all of you will have to be reprimanded. After all, the majority of you did participate or otherwise worsened the situation once it started!!"

Crowley thrusted a finger at the floor, then the walls. They were splattered with sauces and chunks of meat and vegetables.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves. The ghost chefs toil to prepare these delicious, nutritious meals for you growing boys--and here they are, gone to waste!!"

He waved his hand, loosening his magical hold on the boys. Buckets of soapy water and mops materialized beside them. Realizing what was coming next, they collectively groaned.

"I believe the appropriate punishment would be to clean up this mess you've made. I recommend that you hop to it--there's only so much time allotted in the school day for one's lunch break." Crowley's eyes glinted with mischief. "Fufufu, yes, yes, that will do just nicely!"

I'm such a genius~

#twst #twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #Dire Crowley #disney twst #twst interactions #twisted wonderland interactions #Two Ravens at the Writing Desk

[lyomeii]

A REGRESSOR PRIVILEGE

-> warning: yandere theme, death, gender neutral reader, spoiler from the ending!, angst(?)

-> request by anon! Hello! First off, YOUR BLOG IS SO CUTE I LOVE IT!!!! ❤️❤️ Secondly, if it's not to much trouble, can I request Sung Jin Woo with a reader that regresses? Like, they're not very strong(bc that's the price of their ability) but everytime he or they die, they regress back to the D-dungeon incident. They also can't talked much, because of censorship from the system. But every regression they've loved him even when he doesn't! Thank you and have a lovely day!!!

-> a/n: I loved writing this one!!! with the idea of a regressor reader with Jinwoo not only make this a tragic romance with fluff and sweet moment but also angst :) my fault that I am no longer active as I used to, school is killing me :/ but I am doing better now

-> sometimes you don’t recall the last time you felt real pain. of course, some cuts and bruises happen in your days for the most simplest reasons, but you don’t remember any more attempts to clean the little injuries neither patching the bruises along your skin, that don’t really matter knowing that your life will happen again in a few seconds.

-> jinwoo failed to save the world this time, like many times, leaving the place what you called home in ruins and chaos. Poor boy, doesn’t he know that still fighting all the monarchs wouldn’t changing nothing? He has no knowledge of what you have experienced for the last few years, none else know and you can’t never tell anyone about it.

-> when the last attack from one of the monarchs hit Jinwoo’s chest, making him finally defeated after fighting for so long, you just closed your eyes for a few moments while sitting to a closer bench that gave you a good place to witness the fight. Can you say that he got closer this time? Nah, that would be weird, you did gene try to met him this time, leaving him to get closer to that girl… Maybe next time, you should try to date him again.

-> after minutes, finally opening your eyes to notice that you are once again inside your office, ready to leave after writing an article about the weather ( writing it so many times made you wonder if you should try a new job this live ). Is this the seventeenth time you are living this? Probably, you stop counting after a while. What a terrible power you got.

-> whatever you or Jinwoo died or he fails to save the world, the time is reset and brings you back to the day he change his life completely and your too. When he wakes up from and realize that he has to change his life to become the greatest hunter of all time, you need to find a way to secure to not die this time neither him…. You can’t handle dying again and again, over and over. Not to mention the many times you tried to look to a way to lose the power and in the end, you kept dying or being using for tests.

-> stood up from your seat, you grabbed your belongings and left the building with the intention of going home and spend the rest of your day there, and probably ask to renounce from job and to search for another one, it’s getting boring writing the many articles from memories, let’s try something new this time.

-> arriving home, you look to your neighbor’s door, there is where Jinwoo and his sister lives in all your seventeenth lifes, that how you know him and about his works as a Hunter. Every morning, you and him would meet up either on the front door or so did the elevator, where a small conversation happen and another one, that kept occurring til the day he finally asked you out after the incident, leading you two becoming a couple.

-> it was nice, you admitted it, however after witnessing him dying over again changed your mind really fast. The relationship is probably one the main reasons why he didn’t train as hard to deafest the monarchs, making him failing all those times and now, you are looking forward to your friendship with Jinwoo don’t change at all… it will be better if you just ignore him for now.

-> quit your office job to join a coffee shop, one that is getting popular recently, meaning that you have to leave home earlier to prepare the many desserts and drinks, also that make you unable to meet with Jinwoo, a win. Might be overworking, but the sensation of the freshly candies out the oven and the smell of coffee make it all worth, not to mention the lovely coworkers and clients you got closer, this time you are feeling that Jinwoo will defeat the monarchs, you are sure of that.

-> with the work going smoothly as you expected in the last days, you decided to create a new drink to attract more clients and getting the coffee shop more fame in the social medias, a simple plan that did work after all. The lines got bigger and your coworkers were impressed of your idea, all of them congratulated you for helping them since the day you began working here and in return asked if you would like to go home earlier as a little reward, but you denied, saying that you love working here and there is no problem to stay behind to clean part by yourself. They were little worried of all working, but with your big smile, they let you work.

-> by yourself, you start cleaning the place with the mob and packing up the food that didn’t sold to give to the shelter nearby, it’s getting darker meaning the chances of someone entering the shop are low, but never zero and when the classic bell rang, you are meet with familiar faces that you didn’t want to, Jinwoo and Jinah entering the shop.

-> they look so happy and their smile only grown bigger the instant both of them notice you. Jinah didn’t hesitate to run and almost dropping into the ground with a hug and kisses spread around your face. You are happy to see her and to feel her touch once again, but her brother standing behind the gentle girl is what scare you the most.

-> jinah ordered for some dessert and went to eat it somewhat in the store, leaving you to talk with Jinwoo alone after spending so much time far away from him, trying to not seeing his face anymore, only in the news. But guess destiny had others plans that make you two met once again in this life.

-> you were supposed to take him out after Jinah finished her desserts and say that neither of them needed to pay it, but the girl was longer gone (how you never noticed it?), leaving you without options, you have to talk with Jinwoo after months of not seeing him.

-> Jinwoo began speaking quite fast, starting with the the incident that occurred in that dungeon and how he managed to get stronger, taller and gain his fame as a S-Hunter. Might look he is putting himself on a pedestal with telling everything that is related to him, yet he is trying his best to impress you, but isn’t working.

-> your eyes didn’t change neither your neutral expression that keep bothering him since he first step inside the cafe and his heart almost broken when you asked him to leave if he don’t order anything, adding that you need to close the shop before it’s get to dangerous to return home. That truly hurt his heart.

-> he panicked hearing your words, how the two of you became so distant from another? Why you keep ignoring him even with him trying to reconnect with you with many attempts of showing his true feelings towards the person he cares, loves and desire the most! He wants to experience all those dates that he kept dreaming with you! He needs to make you understand his feelings!

-> before you could leave, Jinwoo grabbed you by the waist and made you entered his arms (too strong to leave his embrace), not losing any second or letting you think, he placed a kiss on your forehead while speaking all those sweet words he always wanted to say, telling you of those dreams he kept having, meaning that you are destined to be with him, he can’t let you go away like before.

-> this was supposed to be a good moment between you and him. You are supposed to be happy and accept his feelings and began dating him, yet those dreams he said to have are actually dates that you had with him in past lifes, how he can remember that? That doesn’t really matter, you need to leave him to never see his face anymore, you have to tell him that… but why you can’t speak a word?

-> looking around, you notice the many shadows staring at you, making you feel scared and anxiously, are they going to hurt you? You tried voicing your thoughts to Jinwoo, explaining to him that he needs to leave alone forever, but nothing happen again and slowly your mind made you closer your eyes and succumb into his arms.

-> no worries, when you open your eyes, you will wake up somewhere safe and peaceful at his side, Jinwoo will take care of everything in your name, he give you anything you desire as long you stay at his side.

@lyomeii stuff || don’t repost

#yandere headcanon #yandere imagine #yandere #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere male #yandere manhwa #manhwa x readed #solo leveling imagine #solo leveling x reader #yandere solo leveling #solo leveling headcanon #yandere sung jin woo #sung jin woo imagine #sung jin woo x reader #sung jin woo

[drdemonprince]

To the COVID anon: my pro-Palestinian writing mentions the importance of masking and bringing masks to protest multiple times, so I'm not sure why you're under the impression that it doesn't. Please also keep in my that my essays are typically queued up for weeks, if not months, prior to their publication -- you should not assume that because I am talking about riding on a plane in an essay published today that I am currently that moment on a plane during a surge. You also shouldn't assume that I'm not masking in airports, train cars, and other public spaces (I am).

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have had to deal with people assuming the absolute worst of my own personal behavior regarding COVID because I am critical of how public systems have failed to encourage and facilitate COVID mitigation. It's infuriating to be on the receiving end of such moralizing bad faith assumptions and for them to always be posed to me in an accusatory tone. I speak about this topic LESS because of the amount of bad-faith, moralizing, perfectionistic shit people throw my way.

I understand why you feel completely left behind anon, but projecting the most negative possible actions and intentions onto another person who does take this issue very seriously and has been writing about it regularly since March 2020 is not helpful. I need people to stop being propagandized into believing that COVID's spread is caused by nobody giving a fuck and not doing the "right" thing. Lots of us take principled, informed action constantly only to be told that we aren't doing enough or that we must be fucking up somehow because the situation is still bad. It's still bad because our public systems have failed us repeatedly.

If I were going to write about COVID masking in an essay about how disability is manufactured, it would be about how the government and employers forced people into work and made them sick and disabled for life. I would be writing about the Biden administration discouraging masking and no longer funding rapid tests. I would discuss school openings, reduced Medicaid benefits, and all the other systemic forces that have pushed people to have no choice but to take more risk and to lose their life or worsen their health because of it. And then, after I'd written that, which I have written many times before, people would accuse me of being an anti-masker who doesn't care about chronically ill people because I... go to protests and am required to travel for my job.

We can't build a disability justice movement on assuming the worst of other people who we are in community with, punishing them with judgement when they do speak out about COVID (thereby discouraging them from doing so further), and moralizing every individual choice (real or imagined) at the expense of focusing on the systemic causes of behavior.

[ugh-yoongi]

I haven't seen anybody write out Hobi being a librarian and I think that'd be soo cute! Sweet Hobi all smitten on a regular reader, and of course, they're a regular for a reason, but both are too nervous and self-conscious to act on any of their desires.

oh, this is so soft, i love this so much. thank you for sending it in! i hope you enjoy. <3

we're celebrating jess's birthday! hobi hours are: OPEN.

low key, no pressure

pairing: hoseok x reader (no pronouns used) genre: mutual pining, librarian au; fluff warnings: swearing, hobi being a cute disaster, this is kind of idiots to lovers but since the lovers development is implied i didn't tag it that way but just know it's there ok, taehyung is a shithead, mostly unedited. rating: e for everyone wordcount: 1.6k

Hoseok is a little misguided, is the thing.

What counts is that he has good intentions, even if they don’t hold up under closer examination. But he’s sort of a disaster of a human, so he takes Taehyung’s ribbing on the chin and forges ahead with his plan.

All because he doesn’t know how to talk to you.

He knows your favorite book because you check it out at least once a month. He knows your favorite flower because there’s a bouquet of them tattooed so artfully on your arm they look painted on. He knows your name and your address and your phone number because it’s in the system, and he has enough sense not to do anything with them.

“You could just—and I’m just spitballing here—say hello.”

Hoseok frowns. “I say hello every time…?”

Taehyung is a year younger, so it feels weird to disappoint him. Settles in his stomach all funny, like he’s doing something wrong but can’t figure out what it is. “That’s not—” Taehyung sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose. “Are you always like this? Like, this is your baseline?”

“I’m not following.”

“Clearly,” Taehyung mutters. He looks good today, Hoseok thinks. Looks like he’d woken up and put actual effort into his appearance. Looks like the summer has favorites. Doesn’t at all look like he’s on the verge of a mental break, which is more than Hoseok can say about himself. “Hyung, I’m going to ask this point-blank—”

“Maybe don’t? I’m fragile.”

“—Do you know how to flirt?”

Hoseok scoffs, all instinct. Of course he knows how to flirt. He’d flirted his way through undergrad and then grad school with great success. He flirts with the grumpy IT guy the city sends over, just because it’s funny to watch his cheeks turn a shade of red he’d previously thought was impossible. Hell, he flirts with stupidity every single day, so who is Kim Taehyung to ask him such a thing?

“Don’t ask silly questions, Taehyungie.”

“So you’re saying you do?”

Hoseok rolls his eyes. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”

“Okay,” Taehyung shrugs, and Hoseok sighs in relief, glad that particular interrogation is over. “Flirt with me, then.”

And then he’s choking on his tea, expensive cashmere sweater now soiled with half a cup of honey vanilla chamomile. “You asshole,” he wheezes, barely able to get the words out before his throat constricts again, warning him of another impending coughing fit. “My sister bought me this sweater.”

“Noona has great taste,” comes Taehyung’s easy reply, paying no mind to Hoseok at all, “which is to be expected, of course. Now, please flirt with me once you’ve recovered.”

“Why?” Hoseok snaps, because the way he’s blotting at his sweater with a soggy napkin is humiliating. He doesn’t even have a change of clothes anymore; had taken his gym bag out of his car a few weeks ago when he’d gotten the flu.

Taehyung sighs again—put-upon, like he’s dealing with an obtuse child. “Because I’m trying to facilitate true love, and I can’t send you into battle unprepared.”

Hoseok just glares. He’s going to have to spend his lunch break running back to his apartment to change.

Right, the plan.

It’s all dependent on you sticking to your routine, which goes like this: every Sunday afternoon, without fail, you swing by the library and make pleasant small talk with Taehyung as you return your books. Taehyung, without fail, asks what you thought of them and recommends new ones accordingly. You always smile and say thank you, and your voice always sounds like church bells.

(“That’s because you want to mar—” “I will fire you if you finish that thought.”)

Hoseok is always conveniently absent during these exchanges, pretending to do paperwork in his office. This is why Taehyung calls him a coward, and that’s probably true, it’s just… Hoseok has talked to you enough times to develop a big fat crush, and that’s not acceptable. He doesn’t even know you; doesn’t want to romanticize you and put you on a pedestal.

Hence the plan.

If he can’t talk to you with words, he’ll do it with books.

It’s genius, regardless of what Taehyung thinks.

But Taehyung is integral to the plan, so Hoseok has to get him on board. “Look, I already put it together, I just need you to… suggest it.”

“You mean be manipulative.”

“It’s not manipulative,” Hoseok argues, sending a glare Taehyung’s way. “It’s no different from you suggesting books any other time.”

“I just don’t understand why you can’t just say hi, I really dig your taste in literature, would you like to grab a coffee sometime? It’s not that hard, hyung, you really don’t need to do all of…” He points at the stack of books Hoseok has assembled. “...This.”

There’s about three seconds before Hoseok explodes, and Taehyung must realize it because he’s throwing his hands up and going fine, fine and helping sort the books.

As annoying as Taehyung can be, he really is a great salesman.

Powerful, too, because Hoseok wouldn’t have lasted a second in your presence. Probably would’ve melted under the warmth of your smile; would’ve withered as soon as you strolled in with your tattoo visible; would’ve fallen to his knees the second you said hello.

Taehyung has done none of those things, which Hoseok knows because he’s standing on a chair, watching from the window in his office. He knows Taehyung can see his face peeking through the blinds, keeps rolling his eyes whenever the two of them make eye contact, but he schools his expression and keeps Hoseok’s secret safe.

“I actually have some special recommendations for you today,” he hears Taehyung say. Watches as he hands over the bundle of paperbacks. “Our lovely head librarian thought you might be interested in these. He picked them out just for you.”

You look taken aback. It sends Hoseok into a panic, wondering if he’d gone too far. Maybe he should’ve listened to Taehyung, after all, but surely a stack of books is less forward and weird than a coffee date? You can just not read the books and return them if they aren’t your thing, but turning someone down face-to-face is much harder.

No, no—Hoseok did the right thing. He has to have faith in the plan.

“Wow,” you reply, a beautiful smile lighting up your face. “These look great. Please tell him I said thank you.”

Taehyung’s smile is not beautiful. It’s greasy and smarmy. “Oh, I most certainly will.”

Taehyungie (11:32am): Can’t make it into work today, hyung Taehyungie (11:32am): I’m super sick Taehyungie (11:32am): Sorry 😉

Hoseok can’t believe what he’s seeing.

Kim Taehyung is a traitor. A treasonist. A miscreant. Another word for a disloyal person who is not only willing to abandon his hyung in his time of need, but is gleeful about it.

What could Hoseok possibly have done in a past life to deserve this?

Doesn’t matter, he decides. This is totally fine. Hoseok’s going to prove Taehyung wrong. He’s going to have a proper conversation with you. He’s going to ask what you thought about the books he’d chosen. He’s going to recommend new ones. He’s going to flirt. He might even ask if you want to grab coffee sometime, and he’s going to relay all of this to Taehyung right before he tells him to go to hell.

Just one small hiccup: he has to survive you first.

You’re surprised to see him, and the way your eyes widen makes Hoseok’s heart skip a beat. God, he’s worse off than he thought. Gets worse when you reach the circulation desk and he can smell your perfume: something soft and earthy that reminds him of a spring breeze. Has his knees shaking, on the verge of buckling beneath him, and it’s only through pure spite that he stays upright.

“Good afternoon,” he says with a small wave.

You smile. “Hi, Hoseok. Haven’t seen you up here in a while.”

“Ah, well, you know. Paperwork.”

You nod, but the jerky motions of your head tell Hoseok you probably don’t do much paperwork at your job. “Yeah, of course. Is Taehyung out today?”

“Yep, took a sick day.” He shouldn’t, but he thinks Taehyung deserves it: “Sent me a text this morning and said it was coming out both ends. Seems bad.” You’re grimacing. Oh god, you’re grimacing. “Anyway! Here for your weekly return?”

Like a switch has been flipped, you scramble into action, reaching into your tote bag to retrieve the books. “I—yeah, sorry, let me just…”

“Sure, take your time. Did you like them?”

“Yes,” you answer, gaze slowly rising to meet his own. There are words clearly biting at the back of your teeth and, like Hoseok has done a million times before, you swallow them. Slowly, you hand over all the books but one. “I especially liked this one.”

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Hoseok had agonized over that one for days, wondering if it was too much, if it’d send the wrong message. Some of the other books were more obvious, but this one was… well. It’s not what was said that’s important, it’s what wasn’t, and Hoseok had concocted that stupid plan because he couldn’t say what he wanted to.

But you’re handing it over with a hesitation that has Hoseok smiling despite himself. “Would you like to hang onto it a little longer?”

“Would that be okay?”

“Of course.” And then, because he’s brave and he doesn’t want to end up like one of Ishiguro’s characters, he takes advantage of a fleeting moment of bravery. “Maybe we could—aish. Would you like to discuss it over coffee sometime? The book, I mean. With me.”

You nod, and your smile is shy. “I would love to.”

#hoseok x reader #bts x reader #jhope x reader #hoseok fluff #hoseok imagine #hoseok fanfic #bts scenarios #bts fanfiction #bts fluff #fic: jess drabbles #jewel answers #jewel writes

[ufoend]

∆ please help us

we can not afford any of our basic needs

i usually try to keep this as light as possible, but i have put this off for long enough that i have to post this. me and my partner desperately need help. we are just two gay people trying to make it alone here with absolutely no support system.

who we are: im j (or jet), im 24 year old trans guy whose had this account since 2014. i married my partner in 2018, we even met on tumblr when we were younger, we've been together for years. my partner is disabled (diagnosed with autism and seizure disorder and others)

what we need: our cat had an emergency surgery two years ago that means he needs to be on a prescription diet (hills urinary food) for his entire life. the vet suddenly said we need to bring him in again to get his prescription renewed and we cant order any more food for him until then, which he will not survive without, and he is not allowed to eat any alternative food without risking his life. we have less than half of a 8 lb bag of it which will not last him through the next month. with the vet, food, and ubers to get to the vet and to the only place they sell the food = 200

to try to summarize our situation, we were kicked out by family and made officially homeless for the first time last year. this is right after we moved across states (wa to az) to support my partners family upon their request, only to be subjected to abuse and kicked out directly due to homophobia in an unfamiliar state after a few months. this left both of us and all of our animals entirely homeless. we luckily have an apartment now but our situation is still not okay. we lost all of our belongings at this time, everything, and have not been able to replace them as we have fixed income. my partner is especially affected by this situation, as it was traumatizing, and they have just had to power through trauma after trauma because of poverty, more than i can say.

i also have severe dental problems that are not covered by medicaid in az and i have no way to afford. this includes wisdom teeth, root canals, and many cavities that will turn into that crazy expensive treatment if i don't fix it. some may remember this (+this). i was only able to have a little bit of work done before we were homeless and one root canal failed. i cant keep ignoring it, because they are worried about two of the cavities becoming root canals, and i want to prevent another infection, but thats at least 250 each.

we are still not going to be able to afford rent in future months because our EBT was delayed last month and i had to spend money we don't have to afford anything, and now we are in serious jeopardy even affording rent, let alone bills. our pets (2 cats 1 small dog) also desperately need vaccinations, which is dangerous to keep going this overdue without with their health problems. our dog has also been limping for the past week and he needs to be seen when that is ever possible.

any donations would go first to the vet appointment and cat food, then the other needs in order of priority. will keep updating this, i know its a lot and i really don't expect anything, i am begging for help with any of this

we are both students, we are trying to work towards stability, while being stuck here. i do everything i can to bring in money to support us on my own. we make 200 less than rent is monthly. i am in school to become a caseworker so i am aware of a lot of resources in my area, and have applied for everything, but we can not do this alone which is why i have to ask for help. i am so sorry for having to do this but i appreciate any support that i do have because of this website. you guys literally save my life. helping out other poor people and getting helped out on here has been the most compassion ive ever been a part of. dollars, even pennies, worth of donations has kept my cat safe, has affected me in real ways. it actually matters to us, no matter the amount.

thank you anyone who reblogs, donates anything, or reaches out.

*

p*ypal email (best): [email protected]

v*nmo: @tobler707

c*shapp: $tobler707

#date: 11/3/22 #signal boost #please reblog #please help #please read #please boost #i may have to make a tldr of this and just link to it since there is no way i can explain all of this in any shorter way #so hard to make this shit #i hate having to beg for my life forever #so sorry to my mutuals #thank you if you always boost me #cats #dogs #vet care #vet costs

[letrune]

You know what annoys me in Harry Potter?

And let us imagine for a moment that the author is Hatsune Miku. That it is an adaptation of Neil Cicierega's Potter Puppet Pals. That Warner Bros is not holding the franchise with patents and trademarks well beyond the powers of even millionaires.

Ah, nice to imagine, isn't it? Still with me?

The books are wasted potential. Every new thing coming in helps to show how the magical world is as flawed and xenophobic as regular, mundane version of it. Slavery, segregation by "blood purity", racial segregation, magic supremacy and cishet white male magic supremacy, too.

And then a downtrotten guy shows up. He is a hero, has loads of cash and a fame beyond his age. You would think the dude from the literal closet would CHANGE THE SYSTEM. To push along a new, better, more liberated, more equal world. Maybe even prevent the next bad guy from rising by removing the key aspects that made him rise to power, like slavery, the segregations, the supremacist ideas, and so on. Even if just pushing it in a way.

You would think the main character would fix the system. You know why?

Because every fantasy story, even if by just getting the just and wise king or queen on the throne, does that. The Lord of the Rings does not end by blowing up Sauron. It goes on, the world has to be changed to prevent a new, different Sauron. We saw glimpes on how anyone, even the purest heart, could go down that path.

So why can't this boy who lives in a closet? It is WASTED POTENTIAL. Imagine the stories you can tell! Now that you got a better world coming, would the old jerks not hate it? Would some change? What new issues arise? It is a fantasy, so you can do whatever you want - and then go the Man in Black route and have the magical slowly dripped into the mundane. Or, again, as with the (comic book) Men in Black, we had shown how even the utopian parts get issues not seen before, all based on xenophobia, human folly, etc.

You make a status quo that sucks, and then GO AND CHANGE IT. The big bad in a bad system is not the guy with the biggest gun, but the system that fails.

Oh, sure, you can make a story about the cyclical nature of revolutions - and yes, a bloodless revolution is the best for the little people, but in fiction, we may have the bad guys represent issues. So, you can make a story where a revolution leads to another in the next cycle. But...

You have to change the bad systems. Say that some things may change. Even if it is just a new school being put forward in the end, with empathy, and two characters talking about how the world will change if they keep going on... You have to change. The utopian status quo is the only one what the audience may like to be returned to.

When Bilbo comes back to the Shire, it is almost the same, but Bilbo himself changed. It was a bit for the better, but not that much that new stories could not be told... and what he thought as the status quo is shown to have changed. He became more artistic. He wrote a book, inspired by his "miserable adventure"... and then, later, Tolkien slipped in the ring from the sequel. It was not in the original draft! The ending did not changed, but we had a plot hook.

Though, Tolkien already had given us all the potential in the story. He hinted at a bigger world.

So imagine Miku, writing a thing but then she does not develop the things. The potential goes wasted, and when it returns, it has this "stop nagging me, here, a stupid retcon for your stupid questions" thing. Potential squandered! Wasted! No wonder the fans would go to write their own, for better or worse.

I am so happy Hatsune Miku is a talented writer and not some woman slipping into right-wing hatred, akin to some dude who loves gold and the aesthetics of power, and having none of it in his tiny hands or something. That would be-

Oh. I just realised the intro to this rant. Well, now that the train is deralied, what is my point?

If you write a story with systemic issues, you should at least attempt to resolve some of them. You got slavery? Have the main character and their friends free slaves and ban slavery when they get the power to do so.

You got a sort of space cyborg wizard nazi movement? Your character has the potential to punch them in the face, alongside B. J. Blazkowicz and Captain America, WHILE ALSO breaking the systems the space cyborg wizard nazies rely on. In fact, it should be what you do, because while your heroes give the cool action scenes, they also show their intelligence and empathy by PREVENTING new space cyborg wizard nazies coming into existence and fixing the inequalities in the world.

Sure, it is not as cool to see Mr. Potter to write a new constitution about equal rights than seeing him in a wizard duel with wizard nazies, but you can have both. This is fantasy!

You can get the audience to believe that a man can fly, that a single guy can save the world by throwing a ring into a volcano, or that a boy living in a closet is a chosen one - letting them change the world for the better is not a stretch, it is catharsis! That is where the happy ending happens.

#rant #writing #personal rant

[bagopucks]

N. Hischier - Smile Again

✄————————————

Nico Hischier x Female Reader

Word Count: 2.9k

She’s a long one, with a possible part 2

Warning(s): depression, talk of injury, not eating?

—————————————

Work is exhausting. That much, is apparent to me. I don’t know why it has to be so tiresome. I don’t know why I ever thought traveling would be so much fun. I enjoyed it at first. I loved it even. Being an architectural drafter was a dream I’d had since I was old enough to develop decent art skills. I grew up in a small city in Ohio, Wheeling. The buildings were known for their old exterior and design. I used to walk the streets of that city after school with my brother on the way home. I used to jerk on his arm and stop him to point out the designs and colors.

Traveling, at one point, had been my favorite part of the job. After graduating from college with a degree in my field, I found a company in New Jersey that I loved. I hadn’t been thrilled about the location, but I was willing to make sacrifices for the income and the dream of doing what I loved. I’ve only been out of the country once, and in many states aside from where I currently reside. The coasts were my favorite. But traveling quickly lost its luster when I met Nico. My brother had been in town visiting, and with the Blue Jackets playing the Devils on one of the evenings he was there, he decided to buy tickets and take me. I grew up in a sports family, and I was particularly fond of football, but hockey was never my style per se. After the Devils won, my brother insisted we go out to grab a bite to eat in the cultural district of the city. A place that had some of the most wonderful food I’ve ever eaten.

I met Nico in an Italian restaurant. A mom and pop type of location. I don’t know what possessed me to interrupt his meal, but he’d been alone, and he was beautiful under the soft warm glow of a half burnt out light bulb overhead. My brother looked horrified when I went to speak to the dark haired man, but I hadn’t realized until later that evening, that my brother hadn’t been horrified, he’d been betrayed. He had the same look on his face when I told him Nico and I had gotten together. It made Nico giggle.

Traveling was something Nico was used to. Something he had a love hate relationship with, as did I. He loved traveling to experience new cultures in the states. He loved the foods and trying to find places that reminded him of Sweden. He enjoyed finding me little gifts and postcards. His favorite routine he’d fallen into, was trying to find my name on the little necklaces and license plates that souvenir stores have. Some days he is lucky, and others he is not. But it gives us something more to look forward to when he arrives home.

With his most recent injury though, it has been me who is trying and failing again and again to find his name on anything. Nico had broken his ankle about a week ago. And in that week, I’d done my best to look after him and keep him distracted. Nothing pains him more to be away from his team and his career. But when I was informed that I would be traveling again, for a special project, my heart sank. I used to love traveling. Now I love Nico. And to leave him in a time of need.. it hurt to think about.

When I broke the news to him, he put on a brave face. He pursed his lips and nodded up at me from the couch. I could hear Adam Sandler yelling at a golf ball from the iPad on his lap while the gears in his head seemed to turn. He’d always been insistent that the huge flat screen on the wall was never close enough to enjoy each and every little detail. Sometimes I wondered if he needed glasses. In this moment, I wondered if he would need a better support system. I ended up on the couch with him that night, leaning back against the arm rest at one end, with Nico laying between my legs, his head resting against my chest while he finished his movie and picked another. By the time we slinked off to bed, I could tell the news had finally sank in. I felt too guilty to hold him. Too horrible to even ask for affection before I left. So I slept facing away from him while he stared at the back of my head and tried to find a way to ask if I could stay.

Nico never came up with anything. By the morning, I was packed, had kissed my boyfriend goodbye, and slipped out the door. Before I boarded my flight, I made sure to text Jack and remind him to check up on Nico here and there, and even offer to get him out of the house. As long as it wasn’t for hockey. Nico called the first few nights, and texted me nonstop, but eventually his attempts to reach out had dwindled. I feared that he had gotten sick of the long distance. Despite the fact that he is always the one away for work, I couldn’t shake the feeling that me being gone caused him to feel some form of neglect. I reached out to ask how he was doing a few times, but overall I gave him his space for the remainder of the week. By Saturday, today, I was shaking in my boots- trying to get him to answer the phone. What if he wasn’t okay? What if he hated me for leaving?

I only asked Jack twice over the time I’d been gone, how Nico was. And each time, the middle Hughes brother had responded with, ‘he’s doing good.’ No more, no less. I didn’t know that they hadn’t actually spent any time together. I knew I couldn’t text Jack today though, because he was at a morning skate. Instead, I focused my nerves on my bouncing knees and endless flight snacks. And Tetris. Once I landed, I had found an Uber and told the man up front my address. Usually I’d ask someone to pick me up, but my mind was hyper focused on Nico, and an Uber would get me to him faster than one of his teammates.

I tried texting one last time, hopeful that this one would warrant a response: Hey, Nix! I’m on my way home from the airport. Be there in 10.

I went the full ten minutes frantically checking my phone every time I psyched myself into feeling a buzz or hearing a ding. I never got a response.

The moment the taxi pulled over, I already had money in my hand, rushing the words ‘keep the change’ out of my mouth as I scrambled out of the car and dragged my suitcase and laptop bag with me. A wheel on my suitcase broke off when the bag nicked the curb, causing curses to fall from my lips as I spared one look at the lost piece of my unnecessarily expensive bag. One look was all it got, before I was dashing inside the apartment complex I’d known for a year. I almost took the steps before talking myself down from the adrenaline. You’d never get up to your floor before passing out. It was a trip that would have been faster for Nico and his strong legs, but not me. So I waited uncomfortably in the elevator, alongside an elderly woman who wore such a bright smile it made me want to ask her how she could be so happy in a situation like this.

“I swear, suitcases just fall apart at horrible times. Don’t they?” The woman spoke up, and I finally turned my head to look at her. She had blonde but greying hair. Shorter than me- though we’d be close to the same height if I wasn’t wearing converses with thick soles. Perhaps in her 50’s. She was wearing a smile on pink painted lips that matched her bright pink shirt. Her clothes were nothing special, but she looked like a supermodel in that outfit compared to Nico’s navy sweatpants that I wore- and the dark green crop top that was wrinkled everywhere. “There’s a place at the mall that sells great bags. A lot more durable than that piece of junk.”

I could tell she wasn’t trying to be rude, merely insulting a bag that had the audacity to lose a piece of itself when it was needed most. I didn’t realize that my boyfriend was in the same situation in a room up above. I huffed out a ‘thank you’ when the elevator doors opened, stepping out and making a sharp turn down the hall, jogging with the weight of two bags holding me down. The second I got to the apartment door, I dropped my laptop bag. Not my brightest moment.. but Nico.

I fished in my pockets for the keys to the door before finding them, my hands shaking as my anxieties bubbled over the edge of my emotional dam. After I got the door unlocked, I grabbed my laptop bag, moving it maybe a foot from outside of the door to the inside, before dropping it on the floor and setting my suitcase down. The broken wheel was long forgotten until the suitcase fell with a hard slam, the sound echoing through the eerily quiet and dark apartment. I let the door swing shut behind me, fear and hesitance filling my chest as I examined the area around me.

“Nico?” Maybe he wasn’t home. My eyes flickered toward the mat that sat beside the door frame. Nico’s favorite shoes were still there. I looked toward the living room to my left, taking notice of the way the blinds were overlapped to minimize the amount of light that came through. I made my way over to the couch, snatching up the unfolded blanket and the iPad left out. “Nico!” I called again, this time a little more forcefully. Maybe he’d rear his head if he thought I was mad.

He did not. I finally decided to face my fears, holding me back from trudging down the hall to find him. What was I so afraid of? “Baby, I’m home.” I let out a soft sigh, the blanket I held dragging the ground like a child going to find their mother in the night. I peeked into the bathroom, not a single thing out of place. I stopped by the small guest room -which we turned into a reading room of sorts- but he wasn’t in there either. I should have assumed he was in our bedroom. It was the only door in the apartment that was closed. I adopted a much quieter step as I twisted the doorknob, pushing the white barrier open, wincing at the creak.

“Nico.” I whispered this time, wondering if maybe he was asleep. But the blankets on our bed were a holy mess.. and nowhere to be found was my devil. So I left the iPad and blanket on the bed, and checked the master bathroom. Nothing. Not even a towel on the floor. Which he was guilty of leaving from time to time. As I went to close the bathroom door, I finally heard a shuffle- my head whipping as the rest of my body turned to look back into the bedroom. A pair of feet finally appeared from behind the corner of the bed. Silence followed the shuffle, and movement ceased. Relief flooded my system for a solid second before I began to wonder why he was laying on the floor. I cautiously made my way around the bed, leaning forward to see him before I even crossed the room. My heart broke.

Of all the time I’d known Nico, I’ve only ever seen him truly upset maybe a handful of times. He’s a sweet man. A caring one. A driven one. He doesn’t like to open up, and I can understand. Nobody likes to feel like a bother. But this look? A glazed over, empty, lost look.. it was not something I’d ever known his face to hold. He was curled up on the floor, wearing an old teal sweatshirt of mine that I bought in college. It was meant to be over sized on me, but on him it fit just right. He had on a pair of sweats as well, one pant leg bunched up to his knee -so it wouldn’t bother his cast- while the other was just above his ankle. I would have assumed he just took the best nap of his life, but the darkness under his eyes accompanied by red let me know that he hadn’t slept in a while.

I questioned if Nico had earbuds in, but I couldn’t see from the way the hood of my sweatshirt was pulled over his head. I carefully stepped over him, my heart clenching as I slowly knelt down, reaching out to gently pull the hood from Nico’s head. No earbuds, and completely unresponsive. “Nico, baby. What are you doing?” My words were soft, slowly sitting down as I ran my hand through his hair, grimacing momentarily at the feeling of it. My fingers caught in a few tangles, and what was once silky smooth was now greasy. His eyes seemed to reluctantly meet mine, hopeless and yet asking for answers I couldn’t provide. I realized that just as I didn’t know what was going on, he didn’t seem to either. But he wouldn’t talk to me. And then I realized-

My college roommate used to have similar behaviors. Sometimes she would get that dazed and lost look in her eyes. Like she didn’t know what she was living for. Like she had lost a piece of herself and didn’t have the strength to fight to have it back. When she opened up, she called them depressive episodes. I’d always offered to help, but she never let me into her life enough to feel comfortable asking for that assistance when she needed it.

“Okay baby.” I sat down while nodding, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. I thought he would have been fine without me. I continued to run my hand through his hair, watching as his face contorted and his brows knit together. Like he was trying to solve a difficult math problem. Not exactly in pain, simply frustrated. When his eyes opened again, they were full of tears, and those thick droplets fell down his cheeks without the aid of any blinking. “Shhh,” I cooed, immediately laying down beside him, and wrapping an arm around him. I’ve never had more strength in my life than I did in that moment, hoisting my heartbroken lover onto my chest as I lay on my back, wrapping my arms around him as sobs began to wrack his body.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry too, but my tears were nothing compared to the wails and moans of pure agony that fell from my lover’s lips. When he began to breathe too hard, I would ease my hold on him and whisper numbers and patterns to follow until he settled. And when he cried too hard, I would squeeze him tighter and assure him he was loved, that I was there now, and that I wouldn’t leave him alone again for a really long time. I promised him hockey would return soon, and that we could even visit practices together. I tried to remind him of things he loved and emotions he felt other than what he was experiencing now. I held his head and I kissed his temples, I swear I felt his heart physically break at some point.

What was hours felt like minutes, until the pain settled to a subtle sting in both of our chests- and in our eyes. Nico still refused to speak, but I couldn’t push him. Nor would I. I continued to hold him despite the numbness in my body, feeling him shift occasionally, though he only ever moved his head from my neck to get a breath of air.

“I know you don’t want to hear this right now.. but we should try to get up, okay?” My friend in college used to tell me the hardest part was actually doing anything. I assumed that was why Nico’s hair was so gross, and why I could feel his hip bones pressed against my own, more defined than usual. I was given no response, but I knew Nico well enough to navigate him without words. “Let’s get a shower, sweetie. C’mon.” I tried to pull out from under him, only to feel Nico’s head sway from the crook of my neck and drape over my shoulder. His face was a sight to behold, but even snotty, messy, and asleep, he looked beautiful. My heart hurt for him. So much so that it made my chest hurt, and my stomach turn. “Okay.. just a short nap.”

I wasn’t getting up any time soon. I don’t know when the last time Nico slept was, and I didn’t want to chance him not sleeping again if I woke him up now. So I wrapped my arms back around him, and readjusted his head on my shoulder, supporting him physically and mentally with occasional whispers of love as he snored softly. He wasn’t okay. Far from it. But we would navigate this thing together. I’d travel to the ends of the earth to find the thing that made him happy again. And this time, I’d take him with me.

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

#nico hischier #nhl blurb #nhl imagine #new jersey devils #nico hischier x reader #nico hischier imagine #nico hischier imagines

[robertreich]

The Dark Side of Sports Stadiums

Billionaires have found one more way to funnel our tax dollars into their bank accounts: sports stadiums. And if we don’t play ball, they’ll take our favorite teams away.

Ever notice how there never seems to be enough money to build public infrastructure like mass transit lines and better schools? And yet, when a multi-billion-dollar sports team demands a new stadium, our local governments are happy to oblige.

A good example of this billionaire boondoggle is the host of the 2023 Super Bowl: State Farm Stadium.

That's where the Arizona Cardinals have played since 2006. It was finally built after billionaire team owner Michael Bidwill and his family spent years hinting that they would move the Cards out of Arizona if the team didn't get a new stadium. Their blitz eventually worked, with Arizona taxpayers and the city of Glendale paying over two thirds of the $455 million construction tab.

And State Farm Stadium is not unique. It’s part of a well established playbook.

Here’s how stadiums stick the public with the bill.

Step 1: Billionaire buys a sports team.

Just about every NFL franchise owner has a net worth of over a billion dollars — except for the Green Bay Packers, who are publicly owned by half a million cheeseheads.

The same goes for many franchise owners in other sports. Their fortunes don’t just help them buy teams, but also give them clout — which they cash-in when they want to get a great deal on new digs for their team.

Step 2: Billionaire pressures local government.

Since 1990, franchises in major North American sports leagues have intercepted upwards of $30 billion worth of taxpayer funds from state and local governments to build stadiums.  

And the funding itself is just the beginning of these sweetheart deals.

Sports teams often get big property tax breaks and reimbursements on operating expenses, like utilities and security on game days. Most deals also let the owners keep the revenue from naming rights, luxury box seats, and concessions — like the Atlanta Braves’ $150 hamburger.

Even worse, these deals often put taxpayers on the hook for stadium maintenance and repairs.

We taxpayers are essentially paying for the homes of our favorite sports teams, but we don’t really own those homes, we don’t get to rent them out, and we still have to buy expensive tickets to visit them.

Whenever these billionaire owners try to sell us on a shiny new stadium, they claim it will spur economic growth from which we’ll all benefit.  But numerous studies have shown that this is false.

As a University of Chicago economist aptly put it, "If you want to inject money into the local economy, it would be better to drop it from a helicopter than invest it in a new ballpark."

But what makes sports teams special is they are one of the few realms of collective identity we have left.

Billionaires prey on the love that millions of fans have for their favorite teams.

This brings us to the final step in the playbook: Threaten to move the team.

Obscenely rich owners threaten to — or actually do — rip teams out of their communities if they don’t get the subsidies they demand.

Just look at the Seattle Supersonics. Starbucks’ founder Howard Schultz owned the NBA franchise but failed to secure public funding to build a new stadium. So the coffee magnate sold the team to another wealthy businessman who moved it to Oklahoma.

The most egregious part of how the system currently works is that every dollar we spend building stadiums is a dollar we aren’t using for hospitals or housing or schools.

We are underfunding public necessities in order to funnel money to billionaires for something they could feasibly afford.

So, instead of spending billions on extravagant stadiums, we should be investing taxpayer money in things that improve the lives of everyone — not just the bottom lines of profitable sports teams and their owners.  

Because when it comes to stadium deals, the only winners are billionaires.

#youtube #video #videos #super bowl #philadelphia eagles #Kansas City chiefs #sports #NFL #politics #scam

[jyeshindra]

Astrology Testimonials (I)

Hey y'all! I'm doing a new series on my blog where I document my personal testimonials of how I have experienced my particular placements. This way, other people can gain insight on how astrology manifests for the individual and those who share similar placements may compare.

On being Jyeshta Moon

A big theme with Jyeshta is authority and power. Jyeshta often rises to some position of authority over the course of their lives (Naomi Campbell, Donald Trump) and if they don't this theme of power/authority will present itself somehow.

For me, I have always witnessed power being abused! Whether it was in my own home or in work environments, this has repeatedly come up in my life. My father controlled the emotional climate in my home but was cold and emotionally absent. He misused his authority as a parent to control and constrict his home and failed to fulfill the duties of his role (no shade, Dad! Love you!)

When he passed away, I learned about his secrets from my mother and through the events that took place after. Mismanagement of our finances, adultery, and other scandals emerged, which continued this theme in my life. More happenings of my father misusing, abusing his authority. My mother isn't entirely innocent either but I won't shade her here (lol).

I was hungry for money when I came of working age and came in and out of a lot of different fast food positions. I would rise to the position of manager quite easily (another Jyeshta theme) and constantly witness my bosses and fellow managers mishandle or abuse their power. (iykyk, ff industry can be very toxic and abusive)

Because my father passed away at 13 and I learned his secrets between that age and 15, I spent much of my teenage years having this deep awareness that power could be misused. I would see it in institutions, in my teachers, at school, among my peers. In the world...hell, everywhere! Also, as a black person, I am no stranger to systemic oppression--another abuse of power. This too has given me a lens to engage these Jyeshta themes.

Such experiences then manifested as a deep mistrust of authority and by extension, my own authority. I have a difficult time believing people in power and at times have an unhealthy amount of skepticism within my mind. I feel at times I have seen too much. It can make me hopeless and almost corrosive inside. Thankfully, my Pisces sidereal placements (Revati) balance out my cold pragmatism.

All that being said, I am changing. And I am making space for a different framing of power. I am reclaiming my own now as I enter young adulthood (I am 22 years old!). I will always have a bit of a thirst for power. I can't describe it. I just know I'm meant for it. It suits me. And I know that all these insights on how power has been abused has cultivated a deep belief that if power chooses me, I will try to wield it responsibly.

So, I do everything with intention. Everything. I lead with intention. I love with intention. I speak with intention. I pray with intention. I manifest with intention. I do my best to be mindful and aware.

Those who use their power over others do not understand themselves. There is something in their hearts that is wounded and something in their minds that distorts their cognition. Wielding your power to abuse, lie, cheat, manipulate, hide, extort, abandon, indulge, etc. is an indication that healing is necessary. Rehabilitation is necessary. A change is needed--more love, is needed. And if that change is not sought, karma will come. This, I believe.

-jyeshindra

#jyeshta #jyeshtha #vedic astrology #vedic astro observations #vedic astro notes #vedicknowledge #sidereal astrology #sidereal zodiac #natal astrology #astrology signs #astrology notes #scorpio #nakshatras #jyotish #zodiac #writing #creative writing #biography #testimonial #testimony #personal #thoughts #memories #life #reflection #self reflection #intention

[bb-enablefreebuild]

NTN opinions

so I haven't read NTN very recently (or the other locked tomb books) but its the most recent installment about Nona I think about a lot.

Muir said that she was splitting Alecto the Ninth into two parts, NTN and then ATN. She explained that Nona already had a complete story arc and could be its own separate book. Obviously there's nothing wrong with that.

But to be quite honest, I feel like most of NTN could have been cut. The most important parts of Nona are these:

More detail about the Blood of Eden

Nona's relationship with Varun the Eater

Her dreams of John Gaius

Now don't get me wrong, I loved seeing Nona going to school as a teachers aide and making friends! The problem is, the relationships she develops with the kids like Hot Sauce aren't...very important. I think it would have been better if Nona developed relationships with characters that she already knew, like Crown (Coronabeth) for example.

If Nona being friends with a group of kiddos is important, then maybe she should do it specifically with kids from the Blood of Eden. Out of all of Nona's friends, her relationship with Noodle the dog is the most important, and maybe Hot Sauce. She could be another niece of Wake, the same as Pash. It would explain why Hot Sauce is so suspicious of necromancers and why she shot up Nona in that one scene.

Also, If Nona is the secret weapon, why isn't she more involved with B.O.E? It's implied that the Blood of Eden is on the struggle bus. Wouldn't the inception have more depth if Nona was among their ranks right before their eyes, it'd be a major example of why they've failed for so long to stop Mr. Jod.

Cam and Palamedes could have gathered a few trust worthy relationships used to protect Nona too. Heck, the Blood of Eden could have a "school" of their own where they teach the kids of their soldiers propaganda, look at how Pash was raised!

I genuinely believe that all of the stuff that happened could have been condensed to a feasible first part. As an author, cutting things we're proud of writing is like shooting yourself in the head then doing it again. But I think if I was in Muir's shoes, I would've done it. I love Hot Sauce, Kevin and the other kiddos so much but they're just...not important enough for the over all plot :(

Lastly, and this is where I'm getting super nit picky, but I wish there was more world building. I 100% appreciate Muir's trust in the readers intelligence and for us to put the pieces together. I understood that Steles were used to travel far distances and "flip" planets to be colonized for necromancers. I VASTLY prefer this instead of five hundred pages of exposition (Fourth Wing) slammed into the beginning of the book.

That being said, a little bit of exposition is fine. Gideon The Ninth does this perfectly with explaining thanergy and other necromancer related info. We learn more in HTN as well. I think Muir was thinking that "Nona wouldn't know these things, so it can't be expressed in the book" which I totally get, but Nona has a canon excuse for just Having knowledge! Her uncanny reading of body language and understanding of different languages? Her ability to draw animals from Earth that were lost to public knowledge? Nona just casually absorbing information and thinking about it in her internal monologue is completely reasonable. I say this to point out that Muir was too vague with the world building in NTN. Yes, I could fill in the gaps but I would have loved more information about the colony planets outside of the House system! She's doing too much showing, which I think is precisely why NTN got much too long.

Anyway, PLEASE take all of this with a grain of salt. I love Nona the Ninth and I think the way it was written is digestible and good! It's just not how I would have done it. Please Tamsyn I'm begging you for lore I am BEGGING YOU FOR LORE.

#my opinions do not matter btw. I am just shitting out of my mouth. #nona the ninth #ntn #the locked tomb #tlt series #tamsyn muir #gideon the ninth #harrow the ninth #alecto the ninth #john gaius #camilla hect #palamedes sextus #uuuhhhhhhh #pyrrha dve #*

[x-0ophelia0-x]

What if…. Ezra x fem reader, where at first during the “ghost crew” days Reader was best friends with Sabene, but also had a massive crush on her… then Ezra came along, she got a good look at this sassy Cutie with dreamy eyes~ 👀

And immediately clocked that he also probably had a crush on Sabene, reader went “NoPe! I am NOT loosing to this blue eyed babe!” 😤 (and completely missed that she’s also attracted to him..)

After awhile she realized she’s already fallen inlove with Ezra, and she’s known she no longer has a crush on her best friend Sabene for at least a year..in fact she and Sabene now have a more close Sisterly relationship… but it’s too late to say anything, because the day she finally realizes her true feelings is the day they lost Ezra.. and he left her a com recording confessing his feelings to reader.. but now she has no way to tell him that she feels the same.

She’s broken.. rarely speaks to anyone other then her family in the Ghost crew.. and even then it’s not much, and barely above a whisper, but she and Sabene never give up, practically obsessed with bringing Ezra back home.. Sabene to bring back her adopted brother, and reader to give Ezra a slap upside the head for having done such a dangerous stunt.. and then to tackle him in a kiss, till his whole face is as blue as his beautiful eyes.. just to make sure he knows how she feels..

And because they’re basically sisters, Sabene tells Ezra how reader has brutally rejected everyone who’s been interested in her since his absence.. no dick left un-kicked or face left un-punched if they tried to flirt with her past an obvious rejection..

You can’t imagine how much I love this. Like fr. I have school today and it’s nearly 3 AM-. It took some time though since I wanted to get the beginning as perfectly as I could, even rewatched the first episodes of Rebels for this one haha

anywayyy, I hope you like this! Turned out to be my longest ff I‘ve ever written-

a heartfelt confession.

pairings: Fem!Reader x Ezra Bridger

warnings: hurt to comfort

word count: 5,5K

summary: You had a massive crush on Sabine. One day, a guy named Ezra appeares in your life’s, joining the Ghost crew and also taking interest in Sabine. You wouldn’t loose to him though. There’s just something that you fail to notice, your newly developed feelings for him. When you finally realize them and much later even feel ready to confess to him, your paths get separated for what feels like forever. Chopper then shows you a hologram of him, confessing to you. You’re broken but you and Sabine eventually find him.

authors note: I already said some things above but I once again wanted to thank you for your request, had a lot of fun writing it!! Here’s another ff to our beloved blueberry’s collection!

enjoy <33

Time was something you just assumed that you’d always have. It made you numb to the things you already had, not appreciating them enough.

And it was too late for you when you finally realized it.

That time wasn’t always by your side.

-

„Where are we headed to today?“

You asked Hera as you and Sabine entered the room and sat down right behind her in the Ghost‘s cockpit. 

She typed in some coordinates in the system, ready to jump into hyperspace while chopper started ranting about something he disliked again. 

„We‘re going to Lothal. Visago sent us an message about some crates with weapons inside. We can’t let the empire have them.“

„Alright then“

Sabine said, fixing up her helmet while you watched her. 

You couldn’t help but feel the warmth starting to rise inside you again.

Since the day you joined the ghost crew you started to develop a crush for her. 

And the fact that you both shared the same cabin didn’t help.

„Ready to kick some bucketheads butts y/n?“

Sabine then asked, shifting her gaze to yours and you nodded, feeling excited about this mission. You didn‘t tell her about your crush on her, you didn’t have the guts and you didn’t even know if she’d be attracted to you anyway. 

„Readier then ever“

-

Let’s say that your mission didn’t really go as you all planned. Some blue haired idiot decided to interfere and you, Zeb and Kanan spent your already stressed out afternoon by chasing him since he stole some crates. 

Kanan however decided to help him and bring him on the Ghost when they where spotted by TIE-Pilots. 

When you opened the crates, revealing the weapons inside them, his eyes widened in shock 

„Do you know how much they’re worth on the black market??“

He asked with hints of excitement in his voice.

„Don’t get stupid ideas brat“

Zeb then said, shoving the boy to the side.

„Why is he here anyway?“

You could feel Zeb‘s disinterest in having the boy onboard. Not knowing the answer to his question too, you just shrugged. 

„Guess that Kanan saw something in him“

Sabine spoke up.

„He managed to steal the crate after all“

She added, leaning herself against the wall while she looked at your direction. Smirking because some random brat managed to trick you.

„hey! I didn’t expect some random guy to interfere, alright?“

„Of corse you didn’t“

Sabine teased, enjoying the reaction she got from you.

„Who are you guys anyway?“

The boy then asked, his gaze shifting from yours to Sabines and to Zeb‘s.

You kind of got distracted by his eyes. The blue was so vibrant, almost as if it wasn‘t from this galaxy. Your gazes stayed locked for a moment until Zeb spoke up. 

„We are the ghost crew“

He said, starting to make his way closer to the boy. When he was close enough, he tripped. The TIE fighters managed to land a hit on the Ghost, leading to Zeb falling down, landing on the boy. 

„Get.. up..! I can’t breathe!“

He whisper yelled, struggling to breathe.

„Hey, I‘m not that heavy under normal conditions“

Zeb said, standing up while the boy took a deep breath.

„I didn’t mean your weight.. I meant your smell“

He said, holding his nose shut while he shoved the air away from him. 

That seemed to pull a string in Zeb‘s temper.

„You don’t like the air quality here huh?“

He asked, looking down at the boy before him. 

„Let me bring you to your own room!“

Zeb then added, grabbing the boys leg and shoving him into a small container like metallic box.

„No.. no no!“

He was cut short when Zeb closed the door. 

„Stupid brat“

Sabine and you then started laughing. The fact that Zeb, a grown Lasat lost his temper to some boy‘s comment on his smell was hilarious to you.

„He really didn’t twice about telling you this“

Sabine said between her laughs.

„Straight to your face“

You added, needing to catch your breath since this was the funnies thing you ever saw after Chopper and Zeb‘s rivalry. 

„Let’s go, the fight is not over yet“

Sabine then said, gesturing you to follow her and you did.

Unbeknownst to you, the boy you all just met managed to escape from his ‚room‘ by opening the vent and using the small room to enter another part of the ship. 

He soon noticed that it was part of the defense system when he saw the big blasters. And this was the moment when he realized that he wasn’t on Lothal anymore.

„I‘m in.. space…“

He said in awe, looking up to the stars, a sight he didn’t expect to see in his life.

He was excited but it didn’t last long when he noticed the TIE Fighters flying towards them, shooting at them.

„and I‘m going to die!“

He kind of yelled, his excitement turning into fear.

It didn’t last long though, shortly after he heard another round of blaster followed by the sight of one TIE Fighter getting destroyed. 

„wow..“

He didn’t know them for long, in fact, he just met them after he stole from them, but they seemed to be strong. He was deep in his thoughts, not noticing you and Sabine entering the small room and dragging him away from the seat. 

Sabine then took off her helmet, staring down at him before she sat down, shooting at the remaining TIE fighters. The boy went speechless after seeing her, looking at her with wide eyes. You noticed that, not blaming him since you felt the same way. But he of corse couldn’t keep his mouth shut. 

„My name is Ezra, and what is yours..?“

He asked or better, tried to flirt.

You still stood behind him, trying your best not to laugh. 

But you failed. Seconds later Zeb entered the small room too, grabbing Ezra by his shoulders and turning him to his direction, looking straight into his eyes. 

„I‘m Zeb, you loath rat!“

Sabine and you once again started to laugh your asses off, the change in Ezra’s face was way too funny. He went from ‚hey babe, wanna watch the stars together‘ to ‚no! please don’t kill me‘ very fast.

But something with him worried you. He seemed to take a interest in Sabine too and you were sure that you wouldn’t loose to this blue eyed idiot.

There was another thing though.. his eyes… they somehow always seemed to find a way to impress you. You didn’t think too much into that at first, but you started to notice a new feeling building up inside you whenever he was close.

-

Some time passed since Ezra joined your crew. 

It was a struggle at first but you all soon grew close together. Ezra was sharing a cabin with Zeb, something you still found hilarious considering their first conversation being about Zeb’s smell. 

Ezra and you even became very close friends. The first thing you do after every mission now being to meet up at the small room where he firstly ever tried to flirt with Sabine, talking about how the mission went for each one.

„I even managed to steal a helmet! This guy‘s aim was so embarrassing“

He said, looking proudly at his ‚trophy‘ , his voice laced with an excitement you now couldn’t imagine to live without. 

But you couldn’t help but feel worried for him. Todays mission left scars behind, physical and emotional. 

„There was also this Inquisitor.. I really thought that I‘d die the moment his blade flew past my face“

His tone now was more serious compared to his excitement from before. 

„Kanan thought that I died..“

He looked down, recalling todays events. You noticed his struggle and you wanted to help him, but you didn’t really know how.

„Hey.. Ezra look at me“

You said, lifting your hand to Cup his cheek with the scars. Gently turning his head to you again, locking gazes with him. 

„It’s not your fault.. I‘m just happy that you‘re well. Safe and sound and most importantly, right here with us“

Something in his eyes then changed while hearing your words. They seemed to relax, be more at ease then the stressed ones from before. 

He leaned into your touch, letting your words sink in.

„Thank you..“

He then said, looking up to you again. You couldn’t help but notice the same feeling you felt for some time now. Whenever he was around you or you both shared your moments, talking about the missions, a strange feeling managed to make it‘s way up to you. 

„You don’t have to thank me you idiot“

You then chuckled, taking your hand away from his face and then opening your arms. 

„Does lil Ezra need a hug?“

A teasing tone made its way to your question, accompanied by a smirk.

„You’re just one week older“

He then said, crossing his arms.

„I know, you’re still younger then me though“

You said, chuckling again as you took a step closer.

��Now, do you want that hug or should I just give it to Zeb“

Ezra didn’t wait any longer and opened up his arms, letting you to take him into your embrace.

„You know.. it’s dangerous to hug that Lasat in your fragile age. His smell would’ve permanently destroy your nose“

It was his turn now to tease you.

„Hey! I‘m not that much older!“

You faked an hurt undertone, failing to hold your laugh back.

„You decided to call me lil Ezra, prepare to live with the consequences“

He said, shrugging while he also failed to hold his laugh back. 

Moments like these made you two grow closer and soon enough you didn’t even care anymore about him liking Sabine. 

You even started to notice that your crush on her wasn’t as intense as it was before you met Ezra. 

And if you weren’t completely delusional right now, you noticed that Ezra stopped his attempts of flirting with her.

You didn‘t understand it back then. How could you? Everything was so simple and you basically had everything you needed. But things never stay the way they are, this was the most important thing you learned throughout your life.

And there was something you failed to notice, the true meaning behind that mysterious new feeling you always had around him.

-

Some years passed by by now. 

You no longer had a crush on Sabine, that was something you knew for over a year now. Instead you realized the fact that you not only had a crush on Ezra, no, but you also fell in love with your blue eyed idiot. 

Your meetings with him after every mission became something like a routine, something you both couldn’t live without.

Even if you didn’t have missions on some days, you always managed to find some free time in order to spend it together. Exchanging stories, eating your rations together, sharing embarrassing moments of your lives and just spend time together.

His eyes became something you wanted to fight for. Something you knew that you needed. They resembled the peace you all fought for and they also made your heart skip a beat a few times whenever they looked at you. 

And the same goes for him. His crush on Sabine back then didn’t last long. 

He infact had a crush on you. From the moment you both continued to lock your gazes, whenever you two meet up to talk about your day, he realized that he developed feelings for you.

And when you offered him your comfort after his encounter with the Grand Inquisitor, he was sure of what he felt towards you.

His only problem was that he didn’t know how to confess his feelings to you. 

Ezra was scared that you didn’t like him back and that your friendship would be ruined by his confession. So he decided to stay silent, to continue talking to you, hiding his emotions while he deeply wished to find the courage he needed. 

Years later, just moments after Kanan died, he once again found himself in your embrace. Crying into your shoulder while he was at his lowest he ever found himself in since the Ghost crew took him in. 

You held him close, trying to give him some comfort while you struggled with it yourself. 

And as if this wasn’t enough for him, there was also something, a feeling of unease, telling him that something bad would happen. 

Visions of him loosing everyone he cared for. Visions of him loosing you.

So he did what he thought was the best. He called for chopper, brought him to his cabin while everyone was distracted by their tasks, recording himself, reassuring the crew that he was alright, just in case that something bad would really happen. 

And it did. 

You all were on Lothal. Planning to save the city from the empires clutches. It even worked out pretty well, but hey, everyone’s luck eventually runs out right? 

Ezra was now on the Chimaera, Thrawns flagship. Purrgils entered Lothals atmosphere, flying towards the Chimaera, holding the ship tight with their tentacles. 

Everything went by so fast. The last thing you remembered being Ezra standing right next to you, reassuring you that he’d be safe. 

„I have to tell you something.. when this is over“

„Me too..“

„Ezra.. please… please stay safe“

You couldn’t help but fail to hold back your tear any longer.

He noticed that, placing his hand to your cheek, swiping away the single tear that managed to escape.

„I will.. I promise“

He said, knowing that he wouldn’t see you again. 

His gaze being concentrated on you. Taking in every feature of your face, your body, your scent and especially your eyes. 

You did the same, something deep within you warning you that you’d regret it if you didn’t take in every detail of him. 

„Come back“

„I can’t promise that..“

„Then try it.. at least“

„I can’t promise that either..“

„.. I know“

When you two were ready, you helped Sabine distracting Hera and the others while Ezra made his way up to the vent. 

„One last time“

Was everything you heard from him before he jumped. 

And now?

„Ezra get away from there!“

You heard Hera yell at her comm link. Stressed since you all knew what the blue lights on the purrgils meant.

„I can’t.. I have to see this through“

Ezra told her, sounding scared himself.

„Ezra! I‘m begging you! Please!“

You cried out, not wanting to loose him. Not after everything you all went through. Not after you were finally ready to confess your feelings to him. 

The purrgils then started to take off. Which made you panic even more. 

„… remember, the force will be with you.. always“

And he was gone, just like that. 

„No!!!“

You screamed from the top of your lungs, falling down to your knees while your tears started to roam down your face freely. 

Sabine rushed to you side, pulling you close to her as you continued to cry.

„Chopper! I want you to calculate the Chimaeras course! We need to find him!“

Hera yelled, hoping that they’d find him in time, but Chopper didn’t really know how to help.

„What do you mean..“

She asked him after he gave her a series of beeps, sounding very concerned.

„What do you mean by telling me that it’s impossible..?“

She asked again, this time in disbelief. 

He then tried to explain that the purrgils course wasn’t something he could calculate since they didn’t travel with their systems. The space whales had their own, and this was the reason why Chopper and nobody else would ever be able to trace the Chimaeras course down. 

You all then met at the ghosts crews cockpit. Hera, Sabine, Zeb and you, after Chopper told you that he had to show you something.

It was a hologram of Ezra. Telling you that he knew that this day would come. 

How he felt that unease taking the upper hand from him, how he knew that he had to stop Thrawn, even if it meant to risk his own life too. 

Ezra told his goodbyes, he left a message for everyone, except for you. 

„wait.. it’s over..? already?“

You asked, your voice barely above a whisper. 

Sabine was confused too. He didn’t mention you in this hologram, why?

Chopper then again beeped something, this time to you. He used his small metallic ‚hands‘ to take yours and slowly walk with you towards your cabin, where you would be alone. 

„Chopper.. what do you want to tell me?“

You asked, defeated and still trying to process everything that happened today. 

Instead of beeping again he just put on another hologram, it was Ezra. 

„Hey y/n..“

He said, his voice causing you to again form tears at your eyes. 

„if you see this that’d mean that I really went on with that silly plan..“

He continued, holding his hand to his neck, seeming nervous about something.

„I hope that it worked.. that you’re safe from Thrawns threat and that I somehow survived what I am planning to do“

His gaze now shifted to you, his blue eyes still had the same effect on you that they always had.

„There’s another recording, one that is meant for everyone to see and I‘m sorry that I didn’t mention you there.. I just thought that you deserved your own recording.. and I didn’t want to put it on the same one I made for the others.. you know?“

Ezra now stopped talking, looking around, not knowing how to confess to you, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to confess to you in person. He then took a deep sigh. 

„I fell in love with you y/n“

He said, causing your heart to skip a beat. 

„I realized it for some time now.. you know… it started with a crush just before that thing with the Grand Inquisitor happened“

He trailed off, chuckling at his thoughts.

„Maker it’s already been this long..“

„However… I was scared of how you’d react.. didn’t really want to destroy our friendship.. loosing my best friend, risking you thinking that I was a creep or something. So I decided to stay silent.. not my best decision though“

You saw how he swiped away a tear that rolled down his face.

„I’ll regret it.. not confessing to you in person because you deserve it.

You showed me the light when I wasn’t able to see it, helped me through my lowest moments and I may be delusional.. but I think.. that you… maybe… feel the same?“

„You think?“

Was all you could say before you broke down, not wanting to hold your tears back any longer. 

„I really want to confess to you in person.. it’s kinda strange after all.. I‘m literally telling Chopper the words ‚I love you‘ right now… geeez I‘d really give everything to see your reaction.. to know if you actually liked me back“

„I don’t like you.. you idiot“

You managed to say in between your sobs.

„I love you“ 

Your voice shivered and you couldn’t help but cry even more.

„I want you to know that I will always think of you.. I‘ll make sure to never forget the warm sound of your voice.. your eyes and and the way how you look in general. 

I don’t know if we’ll ever see each other again.. I don’t even know if I’ll survive this plan.. but if I do… if you have any reason to believe that I‘m still alive.. please come and find me“

You then heard your muffled voice trough the hologram, calling out for him.

„Seems like you already found me“

He chuckled, walking closer to chopper, ready to end the recording. 

„I love you y/n. I always have and I always will.. may the force be with you..“

He looked down, starting to laugh at what he was about to say.

„lil Ezra out“

The recording now stopped. Showing you the option to replay it.

Chopper then beeped something again, it sounded like as if he was asking you if you were alright. You just sat there, crying, letting Ezra’s words sink in. 

He loved you for all this time and you didn’t notice. You still were too scared to confess and now you may never see him again. 

You’ll never have the chance of letting him know that you returned his feelings. That you loved him too. It was too late. 

He‘ll never know that he was loved.

„I love you too Ezra..“

You managed to whisper, each wort hurting like hell.

Realizing that you also started to develop your feelings for him around the same time as he did. You needed years to realize what that feeling was, was it was trying to tell you. 

„I fucking love you you idiot!“

You cried even harder. Chopper rushed to your side to give you as much comfort as he could. And you wrapped your arms around him. Crying against bis cold metal. Holding onto him as if he was the last thing that kept your sanity together. 

„I‘ll find you.. even if it’s the last thing that I’ll do“

-

Ten years passed and there was still no news about Ezra’s whereabouts or his well being. The Senators of the new republic already gave up their hopes of finding Ezra alive. Not wanting to waste more resources on this topic. 

The lack of support only deepened the worry that took control over you.

You weren’t the same person anymore. 

Nobody heard the sound of your laugh since Ezra disappeared. 

You didn’t talk anymore, not as much as you did and when you did, it’s sound was barely above a whisper. 

You were broken, broken beyond repair. 

Your best friend..  your lover, may be in danger or dead by now, and all you could do was to hide yourself in your cabin, hoping that he’d somehow return to you again.

You were still living in the ghost. The ghost crew was your only family, you had nowhere else to go. Everyone managed to somehow move on.

Zeb trained some newcomers, Hera got the highest rank and Sabine was Ahsokas Padawan, well part time at least. 

They stopped training and Sabine continued to search for Ezra, but without any luck. 

They were the only persons you ever talked to after everything that happened. 

Sabine grew to be basically your sister, listening to you whenever you needed someone to talk to. Helping you through your nightmares, holding you close when his loving vibrant blue eyes hunted you in your nightmares.

Dreaming of losing him everyday. 

You were a shell of your once so happy spirit. 

You showed her the recording where he confessed to you, told her that you felt the same. Cried whenever you told her that you loved him. How much you missed him every passing day.

He just entered your life a decade ago. Someone who managed to trick you, someone who managed to grow important to you.

Someone who managed to steal your heart.

That very someone who was scared of confessing to you, but still did because he knew that he wouldn’t come back. 

That very someone who disappeared long ago, leaving your heart shattered and broken.

„It hurts..!“

You whispered, losing control of your tears once again.

„I know… I know…“

Sabine Said, trying to sound as soft as possible.

„We’ll find him… I promise… you’ll see him again“

This is how most of your nights looked like, after waking up from another nightmare. 

Your life had become one. 

You couldn’t even go outside.

There was always some creep trying his luck on you.

„Hey little one.. you’re adorable..“

One of the many man said, stepping closer to you.

„Stay away“

You said, your voice once again just as loud as a whisper.

„Aw come on.. you seem to be pretty alone.. let me change this okay?“

He asked, placing his hand on your cheek.

The very one Ezra once held. 

This was too much for you. 

You raised your leg and kicked him straight into his dick, with all the force you could use in that moment. 

The man backed down, holding on onto his member, screaming out in pain.

„You bitch!“

He continued, his scream now catching Sabines attention. 

„Fuck off“

Was all you said before you left for the Ghost. Sabine was just fast enough to catch sight of the guy laying on the ground, holding his ‚best part‘ as tightly as he could do somehow lessen the pain. 

„Again?“

She asked you, a concerned tone in her voice.

„Yeah..“

You replied. 

It was just another idiot who tried out his luck with you. 

He wasn’t the first and he for sure wasn’t the last.

But it didn’t matter to you when Ahsoka showed up on Lothal. 

She had found a map that could lead you to Ezra’s location. 

The only problem was that she wasn’t able to open it, therefore she needed Sabines and your help. 

And for the first time in like forever they saw you to slightly smile again. 

Sabine then even managed to activate the map.

A lot happened after that.

You lost the map but managed to find it, only to have to make a very hard decision. 

Driven by your willpower to find your lover, your Ezra, you found yourself in a rather questionable agreement with Baylan Skoll. 

Sabine too. Everything she wanted was to find her ‚adopted‘ brother and bring him back. To reunite him with his family. She counted on her and she knew that this was their only opportunity. 

You both travelled as prisoners onboard of the „Eye of Sion“

Reached another galaxy and the planet where Ezra was stranded. 

The last few hours where crazy to say the least, but everything that mattered was what was going to happen now.

Your howlers found some crab creatures who had Sabines firebird on them. 

„Do you know Ezra Bridger?“

You asked. Noticing that you didn’t call him by his full name for years now. 

The creatures seemed to recognize his name and happily nodded. 

Gesturing for you two to follow them.

They brought you to their village. It seemed lovely and peaceful. 

So this is where Ezra was living for the past decade. 

Just when you and Sabine were left alone by the crab creature, your both heard someone chuckle from behind you. 

„I knew that I could count on you two“

He said and you immediately recognized who it was. 

Sabine and you both turned around, looking at him standing there, leaning himself against the wall of one of the small houses. 

He had grown into a man. His hair was longer now, his curls a stark contrast to the buzz cut he once had. 

He had grown a beard, grown some inches taller and he had a completely new outfit. 

But his eyes stayed the same. 

The vibrant blue hue they had, the hope and love they held were still there. 

His smile also didn’t change, it was the same heartwarming smile that made her fall in love with him in the first place, the same smile that kept her going through those unimaginable ten years. 

„Ezra..!“

You finally said, losing your fight against the tears as they streamed down freely, and the same went for him. 

„y/n..“

You looked at Sabine who was nodding to you that you should be the first to go to him, and so you did. 

You stepped closer to him, swiping away your tears as you took his new appearance in.

When you stood in front of him you didn’t exactly know what to do.

This was the moment you longed for for so many years now, so you decided to listen to your heart.

You raised your hand and slapped him, not too strong to actually hurt him but strong enough to be able to call it a slap.

He was surprised, not knowing how to act after this.

„This is because you had me worried sick after this stunt of yours“

Ezra’s eyes widened. 

„y/n I.. I‘m so-„

You then stopped him by pulling his face closer to yours with your other hand. Placing it on his cheek while you moved your other one around his torso. 

Your gazes locked for once again, before you closed your eyes, connecting your lips with his, sharing your first kiss with him. 

He was dumbfounded by your sudden action at first but he didn’t want to waste any second, deepening the kiss when he also placed his hand on your cheek while he rested his other to your lower back. 

You both stood there like this, deepening your kiss until you both had to pull apart to catch your breath. 

Your heart was beating stronger then ever, if it wasn’t for the ever growing excitement you felt, you’d believe that it was going to explode at any moment now. 

„wow..“

Was all that Ezra could say, not believing that he just shared his first kiss with the person he loved. 

„I love you too Ezra“

You then decided to break the silence, still holding him close.

You now felt at peace after those words left your mouth. 

After confessing your feelings to him, after all those years. 

„You saw the recording?“

He chuckled, looking down to you.

„Yeah I did..“

„So Chopper really kept it.. I thought he deleted it.. that droid made me record it way too many times“

Ezra said, laughing a little bit after remembering his old struggles with the said droid. 

„I missed you.. so much“

He then pulled you into a tight hug.

„I missed you too… and I love you… so so much..“ 

You both were interrupted by Sabine though. 

„If you continue your lovely reunion I might even cry, damnit!“

She said, causing you two to laugh at her statement.

„Come here“

Ezra then said, opening his arms to welcome her to your embrace, and she came. 

„I‘m so happy that you found me..“

He said.. looking at the both of you.

„I can’t wait to come home“

-

Some hours passed and you decided to walk around the village, trying to get to know the villagers a little bit better, since they were living with Ezra for so many years now.

Ezra and Sabine sat in front of his house like thing. 

„So…“

Ezra began, not knowing of how to ask this.

„Did y/n… move on?“

Sabine was taken aback by his question and Ezra didn’t fail to notice this. 

„I know that we didn’t confess before but.. did she fall in love with someone else while I was here…?“

His tone was sincere and it broke Sabine, knowing that it’s been a question he asked himself for a very long time here. Not knowing anything about your life after he left. 

She then chuckled, recalling the many guys attempts of flirting with you and how you coldbloodedly rejected them. 

„No she didn’t“

She began. You and Sabine grew to something like sisters. She knew everything that happened to you and you knew everything that happened to her. Sabine was more then excited to tell him about your actions.

„There were a lot of guys hitting at her you know.. trying to flirt with her, kiss her, some even tried to get under her panties“

Ezra’s gaze shifted into an concerned one, afraid about what she was going to say now. 

„y/n rejected them all. She left no dick unkicked and no face unpunched. They at some point stopped to hit at her because there was a rumor about her breaking their jaws, those assholes got scared and never dared to approach her again!“

He couldn’t believe his ears, you really stayed loyal to him even if you both never got the chance to confess to each other back then. 

A smile found it‘s way to his face, feeling kinda proud of you. 

„Did she really break their jaws?“

„She didn’t just break their jaws Ezra..“

Sabines gaze also turned into a proud one. 

„Some guys who took it too far won’t be able to ever have kids now“

#ezra bridger x reader #ezra bridger #star wars rebels #star wars #ahsoka series

[kemetic-dreams]

The Invention of Hispanics: What It Says About the Politics of Race

America’s surging politics of victimhood and identitarian division did not emerge organically or inevitably, as many believe. Nor are these practices the result of irrepressible demands by minorities for recognition, or for redress of past wrongs, as we are constantly told. Those explanations are myths, spread by the activists, intellectuals, and philanthropists who set out deliberately, beginning at mid-century, to redefine our country. Their goal was mass mobilization for political ends, and one of their earliest targets was the Mexican-American community.

These activists strived purposefully to turn Americans of this community (who mostly resided in the Southwestern states) against their countrymen, teaching them first to see themselves as a racial minority and then to think of themselves as the core of a pan-ethnic victim group of “Hispanics”—a fabricated term with no basis in ethnicity, culture, or race.

This transformation took effort—because many Mexican Americans had traditionally seen themselves as white. When the 1930 Census classified “Mexican American” as a race, leaders of the community protested vehemently and had the classification changed back to white in the very next census. The most prominent Mexican-American organization at the time—the patriotic, pro-assimilationist League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)—complained that declassifying Mexicans as white had been an attempt to “discriminate between the Mexicans themselves and other members of the white race, when in truth and fact we are not only a part and parcel but as well the sum and substance of the white race.”

Tracing their ancestry in part to the Spanish who conquered South and Central America, they regarded themselves as offshoots of white Europeans.

Such views may surprise readers today, but this was the way many Mexican Americans saw their race until mid-century. They had the law on their side: a federal district court ruled in In Re Ricardo Rodríguez (1896) that Mexican Americans were to be considered white for the purposes of citizenship concerns. And so as late as 1947, the judge in another federal case (Mendez v. Westminster) ruled that segregating Mexican-American students in remedial schools in Orange County was unconstitutional because it represented social disadvantage, not racial discrimination.

At that time Mexican Americans were as white before the law as they were in their own estimation.

The process would only work if Mexican Americans “accepted a disadvantaged minority status,” as sociologist G. Cristina Mora of U.C. Berkeley put it in her study, Making Hispanics (2014). But Mexican Americans themselves left no doubt that they did not feel like members of a collectively oppressed minority at all. As Skerry noted, “[the] race idea is somewhat at odds with the experience of Mexican Americans, over half of whom designate themselves racially as white.” Even in the early 1970s, according to Mora, many Mexican-American leaders retained the view that “persons of Latin American descent were quite diverse and would eventually assimilate and identify as white.” And yet “Spanish/Hispanic/Latino” is now a well-established ethnic category in the U.S. Census, and many who select it have been taught to see themselves as a victmized underclass. How did this happen?

In other words, a distinctive set of beliefs, customs, and habits supported the American political system. If the Cajun, the Dutch, the Spanish—and the Mexicans—were to be allowed into the councils of government, they would have to adopt these mores and abandon some of their own. It is hard to argue that this formula has failed. Writing in 2004, political scientist Samuel Huntington reminded us that

“Millions of immigrants and their children achieved wealth, power, and status in American society precisely because they assimilated themselves into the prevailing culture.”

Indeed, merely calling Mexican-Americans a ‘minority’ and implying that the population is the victim of prejudice and discrimination has caused irritation among many who prefer to believe themselves indistinguishable [from] white Americans…. [T]here are light-skinned Mexican-Americans who have never experienced the faintest…discrimination in public facilities, and many with ambiguous surnames have also escaped the experiences of the more conspicuous members of the group.”

Even worse, there was also “the inescapable fact that…even comparatively dark-skinned Mexicans…could get service even in the most discriminatory parts of Texas,” according to the report. These experiences, so different from those of Africans in the South or even parts of the North, had produced

a long and bitter controversy among middle-class Mexican Americans about defining the ethnic group as disadvantaged by any other criterion than individual failures. The recurring evidence that well-groomed and well-spoken Mexican Americans can receive normal treatment has continuously undermined either group or individual definition of the situation as one entailing discrimination.

It is incumbent on us to pause and note exactly what these UCLA researchers were bemoaning. Their own survey was revealing that Mexican-Americans’ lived experiences did not square with their being passive victims of invidious, structural discrimination, much less racial animus. They owned their own failures, which—their experience told them—were remediable through individual conduct, not mass mobilization. Their touchstones were individualism, personal responsibility, family, solidarity, and independence—all cherished by most Americans at the time, but anathema to the activists.

The study openly admitted that reclassification as a collective entity serves the “purposes of enabling one to see the group’s problems in the perspective of the problems of other groups.” The aim was to show “that Mexican Americans share with Negroes the disadvantages of poverty, economic insecurity and discrimination.” The same thing, however, could have been said in the late 1960s of the Scots-Irish in Appalachia or Italian Americans in the Bronx. But these experiences were not on the same level as the crushing and legal discrimination that African Americans had faced on a daily basis. That is why the survey respondents emphasized “the distinctiveness of Mexican Americans” from Africans and “the difference in the problems faced by the two groups.” The UCLA researchers came out pessimistic: Mexican Americans were “not yet easy to merge with the other large minorities in political coalition.”

Thereafter, militants from La Raza, MALDEF, and other organizations put pressure on the Census Bureau to create a Hispanic identity for the 1980 Census—in order, as Mora puts it, “to persuade them to classify ‘Hispanics’ as distinct from whites.”

The Hispanic category was a Frankenstein’s monster, an amalgam of disparate ethnic groups with precious little in common.

The 1970 Census had included an option to indicate that the respondent was “Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, [or] Other Spanish.” But re-categorizing Mexican Americans and lumping them in with other residents of Latin American descent under a “Hispanic American” umbrella was a necessary move, Mora writes, because “this would best convey their national minority group status.”

The law states that “a large number of Americans of Spanish origin or descent suffer from racial, social, economic, and political discrimination and are denied the basic opportunities that they deserve as American citizens.” The very thing that defined Hispanics was victimhood.

IT IS SHOWN THAT THE HUMAN CATEGORY "WHITE" WAS BUILT UPON THE IDEA OF THAT BRITISH AS WHITE, CHRISTIAN, OF THEIR ESSENCE FREE,AND DESERVING OF RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES FROM WHICH THOSE INSUFFICIENTLY BRITISH -LIKE COULD BE DENIED. JACQUELINE BATTALORA "BIRTH OF A WHITE NATION.

#hispanics #latina #afro latina #curvy latina #latin girls #latinx #sexy latina #thick latina #latino #kemetic dreams #brownskin #brown skin #mexican #mexicana #mexico #mexique #mextagram #white #black and white #white house #census data #censura #qsmp census bureau #u.s. census bureau #tumblr censure #the invention of the Hispanic #african #afrakan #afrakans #africans

[starsinmylatte]

Higuruma AU time

Ok, I need y'all to hear me out..... Metal band guitarist Higuruma

A/N: This is what happens when one of my brain cells is listening to my metal playlist, another is thinking about true crime, and the last one is thinking about @eldritchdilf 's incredible tattooed Higuruma art. If y'all like this AU, let me know, and I'll do more with it!

Warnings: None, but I do reference a famous, real-life murder case at the end. There are no pairings or ships referenced in this.

Click here to join my taglist (you must be 18+). This is SFW, but most of my blog is explicit and not suitable for minors.

Higuruma Hiromi first picks up the guitar because he’s angry at a broken world he’s too young to try and fix yet.

As a young adult, he throws himself into his academics, and music helps him find a release for his more aggressive pent-up emotions… until he gets into law school and realizes early on that the system has failed everyone.

Higuruma starts his pre-law courses and begins to write his own songs, using his whip-smart brain to piece together lyrics that rage against corruption.

He plays the local bars with a friend's band after every exam, shedding the usual black suit jacket to reveal his intricate sleeves of tattoos.

Each piece has a meaning that only he knows; every bit of ink marks Higuruma's resolve to protect the innocent.

Higuruma finishes his degree but absolutely snaps after he joins his first law firm. His boss tells him to bend the rules to protect someone powerful, and Hiromi walks out the same day.

Hiromi drops out of the legal world and dives headlong into his music. Unsurprisingly, he rises to fame after a few years.

However, Higuruma is still the same man; he uses his newfound influence to demand reform, stand up against injustice, and advocate for the wrongfully imprisoned.

It turns out that he never stopped learning law on the side, so he will absolutely do pro-bono legal counseling for prisoners or defendants who appeal to him.

He earns so much money as a literal rockstar but only keeps what he needs. Everything else goes to support his community in some way.

Important note: This AU is heavily inspired by the amazing musicians/celebrities from all genres who used their influence to help Damian Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley (aka The West Memphis Three). I would highly recommend that you learn about this case.

Tagging some friends: @saradika @thefact0rygirl @babygirl-leon-kennedy @hereforthesunrise @ashotofspotchka @ironandglass @amyroswell @cassandrablacker @lady-valtieri @justanothersadperson93 @orangecremepuff @belle-smith07 @outspokenbrat @enchantedsylveon @khaleesihavilliard @spam-love @silverliningsandstorms @msniks @panteramarron @eldritchbeauty @unoriginalidea

#jjk #jujutsu kaisen #higuruma hiromi #hiromi jjk #jujutsu kaisen headcanons #jjk manga #jujutsu kaisen manga

[symphonic-scream]

It's me the fool back again with another au this time it's

Actual Criminals Au for P5

Where. They're real criminals.

The metaverse isn't real, and all of them grew up with qualms about how some people get away with everything. And, eventually, they all get the push they need to stop being a bystander and become Phantom Thieves

They all live in the same building, and have a secret lair under it. They pose as normal people with jobs and lives and then at night they're plastering evidence of assaulters all over Shibuya, or leaking videos of insider trading or what's on someone's hardrive

Sometimes they do normal crime like stealing from the rich to fund their bigger operations. Just for fun

Okay let's go down the list

Akira works as a bartender in a fancy hotel bar, and goes home to his "wife", Haru, each night. That's how it appears, at least. As a fresh graduate from secondary school, he ended up coming together with some friends to expose a shitty pervert for who he was, and thus began their lives as the Phantom Thieves. Joker is the ringleader, and known publicly to always be listening from the shadows

Then there's Ryuji, a middle school phys Ed teacher, married to Makoto. It's perceived to be a functioning marriage. He was a founding Thief, and is their Rough'em'up guy. Between Skull and Queen, they get their answers when they want them

Ann is next, wed to Yusuke, working as a model. Mysteriously, the guest room at their place seems to always be occupied by former top athlete Shiho. Ann's love for her best friend was one of the main flames behind the beginning of the Thieves, and Panther is key at tricking their enemies into drinking a spiked drink or spilling secrets for a moment with the attractive blonde

Okay now, Yusuke, he came later. Yeah married to Ann blah blah. He's an artist, paints in a studio all day. His former mentor drove him to the brink, but luckily the Thieves found him there, and gave him the power to drag himself back to his feet. Fox is very feared, as his harsh words and quick moves remind his enemies of an old samurai

Makoto was once looking like she would be another young officer on the streets, doomed to being beat down by the system. Now, she owns a gym a block from where she lives with her husband Ryuji, and moonlights as the fast driving, hard hitting Thief Queen. The only thing that burns brighter than her rage at the failing society around her is her homosexuality.

Software engineer Futaba lives alone, and she likes it that way, supposedly. She's gotten her act together, again, supposedly, and is no longer hacking. Yeah right. After taking down the false shepherd Medjed, Oracle does the computer work for the Thieves, keeping them in the know during missions

The final standard member of the Thieves, Haru, didn't exist until recently. Well, under the name Haru. She used to live as the sole son of the CEO of Okumura Foods, and has found a life that suits her much better. As Haru, she runs a bakery just outside the entrance of her apartment building, and lives with her husband, Akira. As Noir, she's more than willing to show that actions have consequences, though she's often aware enough to keep her act to just frightening rather than deadly

Then it's the half members, Goro and Sumire. They're legally married. One is a top tier detective, the other teaches youth gymnastics. Crow and Violet appear maybe once every other month at most, filling the roles the teams those nights need

--

Okay so this is a Polythieves au, so the married couples above are mostly for cover. Below is a simplified web of the poly workings of the group

Akira -> Goro, Sumire, Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Shiho, Haru

Ryuji -> Akira, Ann, Yusuke, Haru

Ann -> Shiho, Akira, Ryuji, Yusuke, Makoto, Haru

Yusuke -> Akira, Goro, Ryuji, Ann

Makoto -> Haru, Ann, Shiho

Futaba -> Sumire

Haru -> Makoto, Akira, Ryuji, Ann, Shiho

Goro -> Akira, Yusuke, Sumire

Sumire -> Akira, Futaba, Goro

I have lots more for this but this is just the like outline post. SEND ME ASKS IF YOU WANNA KNOW ANYTHINF OR HAVE QUESTIONS

#makoto niijima #haru okumura #persona 5 #yusuke kitagawa #ryuji sakamoto #ann takamaki #actual criminals au #goro akechi #sumire yoshizawa #akira kurusu #futaba sakura