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notaspectator · 5 months

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valorant headcanons (or just general thoughts? idk) 7 (still probably cant count?) Sova doesn't.. hate Cypher. he certainly doesnt LIKE Cypher, and he spends more time preaching about how Cypher cant be trusted and needs to change his ways than he spends talking with Cypher on missions, but its not hate like a lot of the other agents claim. Cypher himself doesn't even particularly like Sova. He respects and trusts Sova, but its absolutely hilarious to bother Sova even if sometimes it ends up with him sitting in Sage's office with a bruised jaw and a deflated ego after inevitably getting punched for pushing Sova too far. Brimstone tried pairing Sova and Cypher together for awhile to make them get over it. Cypher opted out eventually, finding the constant presence of Sova suffocating. He stated that he did not feel safe around Sova, but advised strongly against discipline against the archer. Brimstone gave up and just let them remain separate since at least the two were almost neutral if all interactions were kept on their own terms. Sova is not a violent person, still, and everyone knows that. Sova's reasoning for resorting to such against Cypher was due to less than appropriate jokes and the occasional friendly touch to his shoulders. Cypher, admittedly, did feel bad when he realized Sova genuinely couldn't stand such and apologized by quietly giving Sova a hundred credits overnight and leaving a box of tea that he'd seen Sova drink a few times before. Sova, while as unforgiving as always, accepted the peace offering. Periodically, there was a time Omen was greatly jealous of Sova. A little bit before the wraith truly took interest in the spy, and a little bit before Sova and Cypher's biggest fight. Sova still vividly remembers how Omen would whisk Cypher away after staring at the two for a minute, leaving Cypher and Sova equally confused. Sova was less than surprised when he noticed the two spending more time alone in Cypher's workshop, and only confirmed his suspicions later when he saw Omen quietly slinking out of Cypher's room in the early morning. Cypher is overall a very touchy person. No one, including him, really knows why. He doesn't like being touched back without warrant, but his favorite ways to show affection are quick hugs and small offerings of food and beverage. Sova and Cypher always did and still do play chess. no one knows why. Sova claims that it keeps Cypher appeased enough to leave the archer alone, Cypher assures people that it's just his irresistible charm that persuades Sova into tolerating him for a couple days. Realistically, it's a case of correlation / causation, since they only play chess when stress is low and everyone has time to spare. And Cypher is less dramatic when it's just the two of them, since Cypher appreciates not having his face rearranged. Sova has seen Cypher without his mask. Once. The sentinel had been shot in the head by a pistol, hanging onto life just barely, and had removed the mask himself while trying to handle his wounds secretly. Sova hadn't meant to find Cypher or see his face. Sova honestly couldn't describe Cypher's face in any detail, since he had turned away unbelievably fast. Sova only remembers that Cypher had brown eyes, and Cypher already offered basic information like that frequently enough to anyone truly curious. Cypher still remembers the incident. Sometimes it keeps him up at night with paranoia. Cypher never did mention it to Sova, and Sova decidedly never mentioned it to him. It is a conversation the two have been meaning to have for about three months and counting.

#valorant cypher #cypher #valorant headcanons #valorant sova #sova

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sophieinwonderland · 3 months

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oh so *thats* why we get so much deja vu

Well, maybe...

Remember, correlation doesn't equal causation.

Did you know that shark attacks increase with ice cream sales?

Why do you think this is? One possibility is that ice cream attracts sharks and make them attack people. Another could be that shark attacks make people buy ice cream for some reason. 🤷‍♀️

In reality, people buy more Ice Cream in the Summer to cool down. People also are more likely to go swimming in the Summer. There is a correlation between the two, but neither causes the other. This is why people need to be really careful about how they interpret data.

Just because there's a correlation between deja vu and dissociation doesn't necessarily mean one directly causes the other.

#statistics #science #sharks #ice cream #plural #plurality #multiplicity #sysblr #system stuff #actually plural #plural system #endogenic #systems

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khaire-traveler · 4 months

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I don't want to be disrespectful but I'm feeling conflicted working with Hermes sometimes.

He's always been kind to me. I'm very grateful for that.

He has encouraged my passion for helping others especially the homeless and disabled. It's just so much discourse around me is telling me he's evil or at the very least dishonorable because he's apathetic and a trickster/thief. That he's only in my life because I'm amusing or easy to manipulate.

Gods aren't human and they're complicated. I just sometimes feel alone in my appreciation of him. I feel like I have to give up when it comes to talking about him around anybody else. Have you ever felt like this before in your practice? Thank you for listening.

***Please read this knowing I had good intentions and my tone is meant to be kind, respectful, and serious. I say this now because this feels like it may be a sensitive topic, and I don't want you to interpret this as me trying to be critical, rude, mean, etc. I promise I am not upset at you, Nonny. I know this was probably difficult for you to share.***

Hey, Nonny, thank you for entrusting me with this topic.

Honestly, I haven't seen any discourse about worshipping Hermes (keep in mind that this is the only social media, besides YouTube, that I use), but what you're describing sounds very similar to the discourse around worshipping Loki (I am a devotee of them as well). If you don't know about the discourse around Loki, I actually encourage you to look into it because it's a good example of how people will literally criticize a deity to hell and back, especially for things they did in myths or based on a person's random UPG.

The thing is, Nonny, that there is nuance in everything. Nothing is ever so neatly black and white or good and bad; there are always layers. Hermes is a god of thievery, yes, but have you considered that some people steal because they literally have no other access to basic needs, such as food or medication? Hermes is a trickster god, but have you considered that maybe it contributes to his love of laughter and fun? That in order to have a good time, sometimes you need to be witty and a bit chaotic? Being a god over these things is the same as Zeus being a god of storms: these things will happen passively, and it doesn't have to mean that god is making or causing something to happen. Just because someone gets their wallet stolen doesn't mean that Hermes was behind it. I guess it's kind of the idea that correlation does not equal causation.

About Hermes being apathetic, though, that's an absolutely ridiculous claim if I've ever heard one. In the myths, who tended to come to people's aid the most, unprompted? Hermes. Who has the epithet of joy-giver, ready-helper, and luck-bringer? Hermes. Who did some ancient shepherds pray to when their herds (their livelihood) were attacked, ancient beggars struggling to survive on the streets, ancient travelers who were terrified and lost their way? Hermes. Hermes is MUCH more than just a god of trickery and thievery. He is a god of the people. He genuinely cares about his worshippers, which literally every worshipper has told me that I've interacted with, and he takes good care of his devotees. I encourage you to research Hermes further and read about how he was worshipped in ancient times. Try to better understand who he is as a god; the view of him you're describing to me comes across as being rather black and white and disregards all of his other domains and aspects.

You need to know, Nonny, that I am someone who believes that the gods can and do love us. I believe that they can and do support us. I also believe they can and do make mistakes or upset us sometimes, but that doesn't make them (or us) evil, bad, or wrong. I believe that Hermes loves me and all his worshippers (and even others who don't actively worship him, I bet), but that's just my belief, similar to how these people talking about random Hermes discourse are simply expressing their beliefs. Remember, Nonny, that these people's beliefs are not facts. They do not dictate your life or your world view or your relationship with Hermes. Only you can decide how those things look for you. So I ask you, what do you believe? What do you believe is true about Hermes? What has he shown and expressed to you personally? How has he treated you? What has he helped you with? What has he done for you? Do you feel happy worshipping him? This is something that you need to settle within yourself. No one but you can give you the answer you're searching for.

Maybe it would also help for you to look into any potential religious or personal trauma you have and see if that is also affecting your relationship with Hermes. I did this a while back, and it was immensely helpful for me personally. I can't say that I ever viewed Hermes as being evil or anything like that, but I did have some trauma that was making me anxious about spirituality and worship in general. I recommend looking into anything that you may be dealing with as well.

If you feel something is not right within your personal relationship with Hermes, that's something you need to directly communicate with him about. Get his opinions, his insight, and even his advice, if you want it. I think it'd really help you to speak with him as directly as you can about this topic. And you know, if you are really having a hard time worshipping this god, then maybe it just isn't meant to work for now, and that's perfectly ok. It's normal not to get along or click with every deity ever. There are some deities I personally don't worship simply because I don't feel we click well, and that's ok. It's the same as how some humans just don't mix with each other well; you simply go your separate ways and continue on.

When it comes to being alone while worshipping Hermes in the community, I do understand how you feel, but to combat those feelings of loneliness, I try to actively surround myself with other blogs and people who worship or venerate Hermes. There are actually quite a lot of blogs on Tumblr that worship him; it's simply a matter of seeking them out intentionally. I don't know how it is on other social media, however. If you use TikTok (specifically PaganTok), I would actually straight-up encourage you to not. Not for spiritual stuff, anyway. People spread misinformation there like a fucking wildfire, and you will find an overabundance of hatred and ignorance in all its forms. I deleted TikTok specifically because of PaganTok, and it was literally the best choice I've ever made for myself. I encourage you to do the same if that is the issue for you.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck on your journey ahead. I hope this answer helped you in some way. Regardless of what happens with Hermes, I hope you find deities you worship that blend well with you and help you grow as a person. Remember that you are never required to worship a deity if they make you uncomfortable. I feel that's just important to say in general. Gods will be respectful of the fact that you're not, or no longer, interested. They're thousands upon thousands of years old; they have the maturity to accept your rejection respectfully.

No matter what happens, Nonny, you will be ok. Please take care, and have a good day/night. 🧡

#anon asks #answered asks #hermes deity

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gentrychild · 10 months

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Tbh the idea that Miguel is projecting on Miles when it comes to the while canon thing seems like. So accurate? Because their situations are almost nothing alike?

The only true commonality between them is: they're both the second spidey of their reality, and some multidimensional shenanigans happened.

But on Miles' end, everything that happened was sort of an act of universal entropy/wrong place right time shenaniganry. He didn't actively seek out to become spiderman it only happened because Kingpin was trying to get his family back.

Meanwhile Miguel actively went out and *replaced* his dead self. (Which depending on how he got rid of his own body, meant there physically were two of him in one reality.)

And. It's entirely possible this is a situation of correlation does not equal causation.

He pointed to the massive hole in Pav's universe as evidence that breaking canon causes reality to destabilize. But what happened before that black hole thing appeared? The Alchemex building that was cut apart by dark matter(?) and was *actively being consumed by it as it fell* landed there. And while the could be the theoretical argument that "Miles broke canon and made Spot, so it was still a canon break that caused the hole", but no, it's explicitly said that the captain surviving caused it. (Anyway sorry this got long as hell, I have so many astv thoughts)

Their situations are absolutely nothing alike and it's so funny because technically, Miguel pulled a reverse Kingpin. Instead of trying to drag alternate version of his family to his own universe, he was the one to go there and to replace his alternate self. He made that decision.

While, as you said, Miles was just at the wrong place, wrong time. That boy was bitten by a weird bug and immediately had to step up afterwards.

While I do not believe in the whole "canon theory" thingie, I also... I have my doubts about Miguel's little trip in another dimension causing the collapse of said dimension. I truly believe that there is something we're not being told here. But I digress.

I completely agree with you saying that this is a situation where correlation does not equal causation. Yes, the singularity happens after Miles has helped Pavitr save his girlfriend (ahem, i mean that young lady he doesn't know) and the captain. It also happens right after the Spot has tinkered with the collider that is known for pulling random objects into other realities.

The very first anomaly in the multiverse was Alchemax creating the technology to access other realities. From this moment, it weakened the fabric of the universe.

#across the spiderverse spoilers #atsv spoilers #atsv asks

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trading-card-abomination · 8 months

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Okay, we all know that aces (and all my other fellow aspec [aro, agender, and so on] folk) like dragons.

But I've noticed something: there also seems to be quite a few of us in the Transformers fandom. And there are more than a few TF fans among my fellow Flight Rising players.

Correlation doesn't equal causation, etc., but here's a poll because I'm curious about how much this overlaps.

#transformers #flight rising #maccadam #dragons #poll #asexual #aromantic #agender #aspec #nonbinary

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is-on-its-way · 2 months

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Epiphany No 12 - 1 - Before

Episode: s06e08 The Rain King

Part 1, Part 2

And then a switch flicked, and she saw something more than she did the night before.

---

(Motel. SCULLY's room #10. MULDER is lying on SCULLY's bed going through the file. SCULLY enters and sits in the chair.) SCULLY : Next flight out is 10:00 tomorrow morning. MULDER : Look at this, Scully (holds up newspaper) September 20, 1991, it rained rose petals for nearly an hour. SCULLY : (exasperated) Mulder, we're going home. The rain stopped this afternoon. Daryl Mootz is being sued by about 50 people. There's no case... And you told Sheila yourself that she wasn't controlling the weather. MULDER : She's not. Neither is Daryl. Check this out-- on the same day that it rained rose petals. "Irene Hardt, beloved wife and devoted mother passed away yesterday afternoon... She's survived by one son, Holman Hardt." SCULLY : Oh, so, now you're saying that Holman Hardt... MULDER : Holman Hardt is manufacturing the weather. Did you see how relieved he was when he learned that Daryl was drunk? I've been doing some checking. Holman Hardt has been hospitalized five times with nervous exhaustion, each time coinciding with a major meteorological event. SCULLY : Mulder, it is still a huge leap to say that he's manufacturing the weather. MULDER : Most people will admit that the weather plays a significant role in the way they feel, right? There's even that disorder. SCULLY : "SAD"-seasonal affective disorder. MULDER : Mm-hmm, yeah. Well, who's to say that it doesn't work the other way around-- that the way someone feels can affect the weather... that the weather is somehow an expression of Holman Hardt's feelings or-or-or better still, the feelings that he's not expressing? (SCULLY gives him "A Look.”)

“Mulder” she started, tucking her chin in that way she did when she was feeling slightly guilty for naysaying his theories. He smiled in spite of what he knew was coming next.

“You’re going to have to give me some evidence besides random chance in an old newspaper. There are plenty of better explanations for raining rose petals besides a bereved son causing it to happen. Correlation doesn’t equal causation here. And a very real psychological disorder is different than suggesting it works the other way around.”

“I love it when you speak statistics to me Scully.” Mulder said in a suggestive voice.

She gave him one of her more magnificent eyerolls and pursed her lips to which Mulder grinned. “Alight." she got up "Im taking a shower and going to bed.”

“Bed? Mulder said “its only 9:30” She took off her jacket and threw it on a chair.

“Ive been up since that cow fell through the roof Mulder, Im tired. And I want to catch our flight out in the morning before any other tornados rip the walls off this place.” She was digging through her suitcase and got out navy blue silk pyjamas with white piping around the edges.

“Alright” he sighed, “I’m going to go talk to Holman in the morning though.”

Scully gave him a look, he raised his hands up.

“I’ll get back in time for the flight Scully, don’t worry.”

She raised her eyebrows and shook her head. She walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Mulder heard the shower turn on. He used this time to undress. He changed into his flannel pyjama bottoms and although he hadn't been wearing a shirt to bed lately, he threw on the only t-shirt he’d brought with him for going on runs. Thankfully he hadn’t had time to go for one yet with the ruckus this morning.

He was in bed reading more old newspapers looking for any other evidence when she came out, towel wrapped around her head. Her silk pyjamas covered her body but as she walked he could see the shape of her against the rippling fabric, down to the shadows of her nipples showing through the pockets on the button down shirt. She bent over at the foot of the bed and put her clothing from that day into a bag in her suitcase. He could see down the unbuttoned top button to the curve of her breasts, he looked away at this. They’d both seen each other naked of course but only when the situation was dire. It was never offered and he didn’t care to leer when she didn’t know.

He got up to use the bathroom and brush his teeth. He’d already showered that morning after the cow incident. When he returned she was tucked into bed, she hadn’t moved his papers and books she’d just climbed in beside them.

“Sorry Scully” He said moving to clear the piles off the bed and placing them on the floor.

She opened one eye and said “It’s okay, you can read I can fall asleep anywhere.”

“I know” he smiled at her as she closed her eye. “Do you want me to sleep head to foot?” He offered

She furrowed her brow and opened both eyes “We’ve shared a forest floor before, I think a bed will be fine.”

Mulder smiled fondly remembering that adventure. “Okay” he said

“Besides I don’t want my face to be that well acquainted with your feet.”

Mulder looked mock wounded, “I have beautiful feet Scully.”

She closed her eyes smiling.

He got under the covers and continued to read for a while before feeling sleep nudging him. He put the paper he had down and turned his side table light off. He rolled onto his side facing Scully. The parking lot lamps shown through the blinds making shadows on the wall and across the bed onto her face.

Scully scratched her nose and sighed deeply. He must have woken her when he’d shifted. He poked her side under the covers “Hey Scully” He whispered.

“What Mulder” she mumbled.

He nudged her again

She hit at his arm in answer under the covers and said “Stop it” in a tired slightly annoyed voice

“Hey Scully, wanna play 20 questions?” He whispered.

“No Mulder, I want to go to sleep”

“But you’re up now. Hey, have you ever wanted to be famous?”

Scully turned her head and looked at him brow furrowed.

He smiled at this

“Thats not how you play twenty questions.”

He shrugged trying to look cute. He could see her resolve melting away and was pleased with himself.

“No absolutely not. Have you?” She eyed him wondering.

“I don’t think so, no. Well I wanted to be a super hero when I was younger, but I had a whole cover planned out so I could live in anonymity”

“Like batman?” She said as she turned to her side too, to face him.

“Interesting you’d choose batman over the very obvious Clark Kent.”

“Is it?” She shrugged “I liked batgirl when I was little”

“I knew you were a nerd deep down, maybe you should work with the lone gunmen instead of the FBI”

She pushed his shoulder away “Shut up Mulder”

He smiled and asked another “Do you ever wonder what it would be like to wander through the library of Alexandria?”

She looked at him “As a matter of fact I have but how could you know that?”

“Shouldn’t everyone?”

“I don’t think everyone does”

“Which historical figure would you to invite to dinner.”

“Joan of Arc” she said without having to think about it.

“Joan of Arc?” he said surprised

“Yes Mulder, Joan of Arc. Who would you want to meet?”

“Maybe Hypatia. She was said to be brilliant. A philosopher, astronomer, mathematician…”

“I would’ve guessed Diogenes.”

Mulder made a face, “Too cynical. He’d already made up his mind about everything, it’d make for boring conversation.”

Scully raised her eyebrows.

“Or Katherine Hepburn, my first crush.”

“Isn’t she still alive?”

“I know but I mean a Philadelphia story or Bringing up Baby Katherine.” He looked at her realizing something in the dim light “Actually, you kind of look like her.”

“Mulder did that cow hit you on the head? I think I should send you for an MRI when we get back.” She said poking the top of his scalp again.

“He shrugged, “Not that I remember. I do remember what Katherine Hepburn looks like though.”

She shook her head, but smiled and put her hand down by her face.

“Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse the conversation?”

“Only when I’m nervous”

“Who are you nervous to call?”

She smirked and raised her eyebrow at this but didn’t answer.

“Do you think you know how you’ll die?”

“Yes, with you probably, in this god forsaken motel room, by a hurricane or under the body of a horse or some other weather related phenomena.”

“I think well be okay” He said scratching his cheek “Is there something that you've dreamed of doing for a long time?”

Yes” she said simply.

“Well you have to say what” Mulder said

“That wasn’t the question.” She said smiling. “What about you?”

He looked at her slyly and answered “Yes” as well.

She giggled

“Whats your favorite thing about me?” he said with the boyish look on his face again, dripping with good natured sarcasm.

She eyed him with an odd expression on her face, like she was going to respond with sarcasm, but thought before saying “You feel like… familiar in a very comforting way, even when you frustrate me.”

He found her hand that lay between them by her face in answer.

“Now you” she said

“My favorite thing about you is everything.” he said playing with her fingers.

“Thats cheating”

“Something smaller? The way you hold your pen when you’re thinking about what to type next when we write reports." She furrowed her brow in confusion. "No, the look of concentration you get when I find you a really interesting body.” She smiled “Mmm no, the way you drink like you’re a man from 1956 who has a job as a bank executive.” She giggled this time and he was proud. She had such a wonderful free spirited laugh.

"That was only because I was upset" She said, a pout on her lips.

“Ive got the real answer." he said more serious. "Its how fearless you are.”

“But Im not fearless” she said more confused about this than she'd been about him noticing how she held her pens.

“You’re braver than anybody I know. You're an FBI woman and you do it so much better than any of the men I know.”

She played with his fingers in her hand, but didn’t say anything. She met his eyes he saw an odd look there. Was it confusion?

“One more” she said

“If you were to die right now, what would you most regret not having told someone?”

She pushed her lips together into a thin line “I already did that. You read my journal entry for you. You already know.”

He nodded giving her a glance, serious now.

“Thats enough Mulder." She yawned, "I’m tired and you woke me up with a dead cow at four in the morning. She let his hand go and rolled over onto her other side.

“Night Scully” He said looking at her hair in the dim light.

“Night Mulder.” She said with a contented sigh.

@today-in-fic

#xfiles #mulder and scully #msr fanfic #fox mulder #dana scully #the rainking #when a dead cow is for the ship

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sabakos · 1 month

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Correlation doesn't always equal causation, but I left two very different discord servers that had toxic vibes yesterday and I feel much happier today, so perhaps these events are related?

#brain problems #yes some of you follow me from one or the other server i think #as far as i know no one following me has bad vibes though :3

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shouldershimmycity · 2 years

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Footloose (Rooster x Reader) Pt. 2 of Pour Some Sugar on Me

Ever since Rooster found out you’re actually a pretty good dancer, and way more fun than you let on, the two of you have been insufferable. Then you both lose a bet, and a military function becomes a lot more interesting.

Y'ALL ASKED FOR IT! PART 2! ENJOY!

Pour Some Sugar on Me (Part 1)

(It's less sexy and more goofy but I hope everyone likes it! Mwah!)

p.s. the dancing in this is based of of Miles' little dance in the end, there's no full on flash mob. 💀

*****

As with many get-togethers between yourself and the other pilots, you were all at the Hard Deck, lounging about. The sound of pool balls being smacked around on the table mixed with the jukebox was familiar to all of you, and you appreciated the bar very much.

The bell rang out, and everyone raised their drinks in the air, hooting and hollering. Taking the opportunity for some poor soul to buy your drinks, you walked over to the bar to grab yourself and Rooster another beer. Underneath the sign that clearly labeled the rules for disrespect in the bar, there was a relatively new smaller sign hanging.

No dancing on the bar top.

Penny had told you that you were the only one who did it well enough to let it fly once. Although correlation doesn't equal causation, you couldn’t help but feel like you had been the cause of Penny’s newest business nuisance. Since you were responsible for the rise in drunk women climbing on top of the bar, you hand painted her the little sign. She had laughed when she opened the gift, and you shrugged. It was the least you could do to help her.

Many good things came out of the strip tease you performed on the bar, you gained respect, you proved a point, and you and Rooster were now closer. Since the Def Leppard dance, the two of you had become good friends, and you even started dating about a month ago. It was fantastic, the two of you were very fun together. You both loved to dance, and were always jamming out at any free moment. Hell, the both of you even took dance classes every now and again at the local rec center. It was something that, out of everyone, only the two of you really enjoyed, and most found it hard to enjoy it with you both because you just got so into it. Oftentimes, your friends declined to go if you and your boyfriend were involved.

When you returned with the beers, handing one to Rooster, you were confused as to what they were arguing about.

“You don’t even know what you’re talking about Rooster!” Hangman said, clearly frustrated.

“I am equally as lost as you, apparently! That would make no sense, Hangman,” Rooster pointed out.

“You’re wrong, Rooster!”

“I am not,” Rooster defended, “those are the lyrics!”

“Wanna bet?!” Hangman responded.

“Absolutely!” Rooster agreed, sure of himself.

“Winner gets to make the other do something, no matter what it is,” he said, winking at you, and you made a face of disgust.

“Grow up, Jake,” you sneered, “so who is going to look this up?”

“Got it,” Bob said, already knowing the answer.

“Well?” Rooster demanded and Bob sighed.

“Bagman’s right, Rooster, sorry,” he declared and Seresin whooped. Rooster’s face fell, and you frowned at him.

“Alright,” he caved, “what do you want me to do?”

“Oh, not just you,” Hangman gloated, his eyes sliding on over to you, “you too, Breezy babe.”

“I wasn’t even involved!” you raised your hands up in your defense.

“Yes, but uh, you’re his dancing partner,” he smirked.

You looked down at Rooster, and the two of you had the same look on your face. This was either going to be great, or be the end of your dancing careers.

*****

“I swear to God,” you grumbled, and Rooster grunted in response.

Had it been anywhere else, it would have been fine. Hangman had sort of crossed a line, actually, and you just hoped that your superiors found it as funny as he surely would.

You glared at him from across the ballroom, and he smiled real big in return. A navy ball was not the place to be pulling stunts like this, and you just hoped that the label of “mandatory fun time” would be taken seriously enough to cover both your asses.

The only thing that made you and Rooster feel just a little better was the knowledge that these parties weren’t the strictest work events in the world. It always had line dancing and regular dancing, as well as slow dancing. These were, however, the parties that were supposed to make your branch look good.

Right now, you could breathe, as it was only socialization time before dinner. Taking the moment to turn to Rooster, you gave him a small grin.

“You look handsome,” you offered to him, and he winked at you.

“You look very nice too, although I wish you could wear a dress to these things,” he put a hand on the small of your back and you did the same for him. Dress blues were mandatory for these events. If Bagman made you rip your uniform, he was paying for it. The two of you tried to enjoy your time together before dinner and your inevitable show, talking to various other aviators and their plus ones.

Still, you couldn;t help but feel nervous.

*****

Rooster twirled you around the dance floor, your laughter filling the space between you when the song came to a close. He kissed the side of your forehead when all of a sudden your song came on.

Showtime.

Rooster high fived you and you started wiggling a little, backing up. The people behind you started backing up as well, you and Rooster reverse herding people, and you and your boyfriend cleared the floor just enough for what you needed.

Been working so hard.

I'm punching my card.

Rooster and yourself began clapping and twisting to the beat, and people noticed the two of you gearing up to dance. The circle widened, and people began clapping to the beat.

Eight hours, for what?

Oh, tell me what I got.

You bounced up to Rooster, who held his left arm up for you to place your hand into, putting his other hand on your waist and yours on his shoulder. The two of you began moving your bodies, throwing yourselves forwards then leaning back, gliding about, spinning around the circle as you did.

I gotten this feeling.

That time's just holding me down.

The man spun you out of his arms and away from him once more, where you two did a little bit of the twist.

I'll hit the ceiling.

Or else I'll tear up this town.

Rooster began snapping his way towards you, crouched low and twisting with the music, you followed his every move, on beat. The two of you threw finger guns at each other, stepping your outermost feet away from each other, grins on both of your faces.

Tonight I gotta cut loose, footloose.

In sync with Bradley, you began throwing your hips to the left then the right, moving your legs in the same direction, on your tiptoes.

Kick off your Sunday shoes.

Please, Louise.

People began whooping when you butterflied your legs, leaning from the left to the right, still snapping along with the song, and Rooster was right there with you. You threw your hand out to Rooster and he slapped it in a high five.

Pull me up off my knees.

Jack, get back.

You and Rooster dropped into what people might describe as a crabwalk, the both of you throwing your legs out next to each other and bringing them in again, raising one arm as you did so. You were very glad that a few years ago, they began allowing women to wear pants with their blues instead of skirts.

C'mon, before we crack.

Lose your blues.

The two of you snapped back onto your feet, throwing your legs forward, and took advantage of the lyrics, throwing your dress blue coats nowhere in particular.

Everybody cut footloose!

The rest of the song became a fast paced recall of what you and Rooster had learned during that one swing dancing lesson you took. You have never heard so many people clap and scream at the same time. Even some whistles were thrown in.

What you didn’t see, was Maverick, staring at the two of you dumbfounded, along with most of your squadron. Hangman was recording the whole thing on his phone. He thought it would be embarrassing for the two of you, but even he had to admit that the way the both of you moved together was incredible.

When the song ended, sailors, aviators, their spouses, and even your superiors shouted, whooped, clapped, screamed, and even stomped their feet. Both you and Bradley were a little out of breath and your ears were red. He took you into his arms, and the both of you took your chance to exit the dancefloor, people tossing you your blues back on the way out.

“Holy shit!” Hangman shouted as you approached your friends, who were all clapping and screaming themselves.

“That was actually amazing,” Coyote said, stunned.

“Honestly, I thought it was gonna be stupid, but that was crazy!” Hangman agreed.

“We take our dancing very seriously, yes, very seriously,” you knitted your eyebrows together and frowned, nodding. Rooster copied you, breaking out into a laugh. The fact that the two of you crashed the dance floor of a navy ball and did it so well that your superiors didn’t care was amazing.

Dinner and a show, I guess.

Rooster wrapped you tight in a hug, happy that the two of you pulled that off. Maybe the next time the two of you went dancing, the crew wouldn’t decline, and after that event, the only time anyone declined going dancing with the two of you was if they were dying, something was on fire, or they were sick. It became an every Friday night thing, and yes, even Mav came.

#rooster #top gun x reader #rooster top gun #topgunmaverick #rooster x reader #bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x reader

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evelhak · 7 days

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I don't know if this makes me weird or egocentric or whatever but I'm far more interested in my own interpretation of a song (specifically how my characters can relate to it) than speculating about how it relates to the artist's own life. Besides, I'm just way too familiar with how even strong correlation doesn't equal causation in this specific area. Seen so many people be 100% sure they know why I or some writer friend of mine wrote something, because in these people's mind it was "obviously" a one-to-one perfect match with our lives. It wasn't. Ever. Sometimes it was even the complete opposite. Unless an artist has specifically said "I wrote this about this" you have a good chance of being wrong with your theories.

#way too much music discourse on my feed lately

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toskarin · 8 months

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what's the connection between hirudo score and one's potential ability/compatibility as a vessel?

this is one of those questions I've gotta be careful answering because it's really easy to get the wrong impression here. the short answer is "it's intimately correlated, but correlation does not equal causation"

having a high hirudo score is actually a bad thing, but also an inevitable thing. it means your life gets worse in material ways, even though the score itself technically only exists to measure a benign physiological anomaly of vessels

you can think of it kind of like leukocytosis: there's nothing actually bad about the elevated white blood cell count itself, but it shows that the body is under great stress and is doing its best to adapt to its condition

[see below break for rambly elaboration]

a hirudo score measures a symptom of attunement (name subject to change), which is a vessel's nature shifting away from humanity as they spend time bound to a pygmalion. there is no way to measure attunement because it's not actually quantifiable, but hirudo score measures one manifestation of attunement because it provides relevant parties with a good idea of how quickly/intensely a vessel is changing

old vessels always have high hirudo scores, so it's easy to notice this and assume it's a measure of power. more accurately, anyone who can survive a hirudo score above six for longer than a few days must have already been exceptionally suited to surviving the conditions of attunement

all hirudo score measures is a vessel's ability to take in foreign ferrous humor, but because this is a symptom of progressing attunement, it can also be used to get a good idea of a lot of other things.

it's not a hard rule, but about half of vessels that exhibit stigmata first begin to manifest them after passing hirudo score three. only five percent of vessels manifest stigmata before passing hirudo score three, and in those cases, it's a known property of their pygmalion rather than one of the vessel in question

additionally, if someone passes hirudo score eight without dying, it's very likely that they're going to reach ten one day. the reason for this is that the worst of vital system atrophy tends to occur at hirudo score seven

a high potential vessel can have a low hirudo score, but all that means is that they're wet behind the ears, so to speak. as long as they keep pushing their limits, they'll elevate it one day

someone with a hirudo score of nine is never going to be a pushover, but that doesn't mean that they're necessarily better than someone with a hirudo score of five. all it means is that their mettle was tested and they survived

the best a vessel can hope for is that the elevation takes place over years, because a surge in hirudo score shows that something has gone horribly wrong with your body and you're probably going to die from it. the hirudo score doesn't cause this, nor the violent eruption of stigmata and failure of vital systems that comes with this, but it's connected

so the slightly less short answer: a hirudo score is a bad measurement for anything beyond a vessel's physical health, but it can give you an idea of what exactly you're going against.

just as a final note, everyone is born with a hirudo score of zero. there have been no recorded births where a human was capable of subsuming ferrous humor naturally, as that would require being bound to a pygmalion before birth

a parent being bound to a pygmalion doesn't cause this, and even if it did, most vessels are rendered infertile in the first place

#vesalblood

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