#they're going to become a Favored Enemy at some point

[dafukdidiwatch]

V needs to stop being cradled by Dragons. It's just too dangerous for them

#dafukblog #dfoots #oots83 #they're going to become a Favored Enemy at some point

[nekrosdolly]

enemy's daughter (18+)

albert goes after chris's daughter.

a/n; @thatgirlgames who said i was teasing? also teehee i love old man wesker sorry guysss

cw; creep!wesker, afab!reader, major age gap (reader is 21, wesker is 61), circa 2021 aka re8, wesker lives au, unsafe sex (p in v), creampie, brief nipple play, clitoral stimulation, fingering, door sex, slight breeding kink, praise and degredation

petnames used; little dove, dearest, angel

you still haven't told your dad about your boyfriend, but honestly, you don't think he needs to know. not like he ever asks, or checks in with you, anyway. growing up, you'd rebel to get his attention, but this is your best try yet.

you're dating the albert wesker, the one your dad swore he killed back in 2009. what a stupid idea, you know, but you're head over heels for the much older man. every touch warms your chest, that feeling travelling up and warming your cheeks, too. it's a different kind of high, getting the attention of an older, dangerous man that your father absolutely despises. in some weird way, being with an older guy makes you feel safe. when albert wraps his arms around you, his toned forearms warm on your stomach even through your shirt, you feel… good. you don't think about what's troubling you as much. you feel light, and like you can relax because he's got you.

he makes you go dumb in many ways. his favorite way is take you by the waist and press a kiss to your forehead, muttering about "what a good girl" you are. the way your eyes gloss over and your cheeks flush pink makes his cock hard in his leather pants. every time you give him that look, it takes all of him to keep from fucking you wherever you may be. you knew you were in for it the first time he said it for you, because he's never let you live it down since.

you just hope your dad doesn't come home to see wesker when his restraint fails. like now.

albert hasn't bothered to undress you properly as he presses you against your front door, your tits squished against the fiberglass composite exterior with your back arched, his hips flush with your own as he rips your tights open by the gusset. fleetingly, you mourn the loss of another pair of tights.

"baby," you whine as he grips your hips with one hand, the other coasting around to and down your tummy to cup your cunt through your sinfully sheer underwear. you're wet, but what's new? you've been wet since you greeted him at the door, hours prior, and now as he's about to leave. of course, he can't leave you without giving you some of his cum.

"i know, dearest, i know." he murmurs, his hard-on throbbing in the confines of his pants. they're becoming uncomfortable, his precum forming a wet patch in his boxers. he needs you now.

the hand on your hip moves, slipping under your shirt and beneath the cup of your bra to lightly pinch your nipple, eliciting a soft moan from you as you press your cheek against the door. your knees are hardly supporting you at this point. his hand cupping your cunt moves the gusset of your panties aside, two long and cold fingers moving between your wet folds, pushing into your weeping cunt with ease. gummy walls flutter and clench, a breathy noise leaving you. the heel of his hand bumps against your clit with every thrust of his fingers, the friction bringing you ever closer to your impending orgasm.

you don't really have time to be doing this, though. your father is due home in ten minutes.

just as you get close, your cunt sucking in his fingers with every welcome thrust, he rids you of them and instead forces them in your mouth, his other hand leaving your body to undo his belt and nearly tear his fly open. he skips taking them off, favoring pushing them down just enough for his cock to be let free. it's leaking something fierce, even as he drags the fat head through your folds as a warning before sheathing himself fully inside you.

the stretch brings about an unwelcome burn that melts into pleasure within seconds as he starts thrusting with the desperation of a dying man. as much as he'd love to surprise your dad with you impaled and drooling on his cock, on edge and ready to cum, he'll save that for another day. he's too preoccupied with how your cunt sucks him in, how you whine and dig your nails into the tough material of the front door, the brass doorknob digging uncomfortably into your thigh. if he could keep you this dumb, this sedated from his cock forever, he would.

you're all but drooling, every thrust forcing a sinful sound from the depths of your throat. the lewd squelching noise you two make together only adds to the intensity, how he's so rough with you. his whispers in your ear, praise mixed with filth, make you squeeze him extra nice.

"such a sweet girl, angel. my dumb little dove, already drooling just from my cock," he croons in your ear, hardly breaking a sweat as you draw nearer to your climax. you nod, fucked out and dizzy.

"mhm- m'gonna c-cum- fuck-" you scratch at the door just as the pad of his middle finger circles your puffy clit, his free hand nearly crushing the bones in your hips. he groans quietly, just barely audible but with the close proximity it's hard to miss.

you cum with a final cry of his name, your kneels threatening to buckle below you. he bites your pulse point, stifling the moan he lets loose as the coil in his own stomach tightens. he's not going to pull out, either. he never does, in hopes of knocking you up, and he knows you're ovulating. you made the mistake of telling him so just a few days ago and he hasn't stopped thinking about it since.

you're whining that it's too much, that your dad is almost home and that you two need to stop really soon. he cums not a moment later, not stopping as he fully intends on fucking his spend as deep as possible into you. his cock pokes your cervix and you yelp, briefly realizing that nobody's ever done that to you before.

just as quickly, he's tucking himself into his pants and hoisting you up in his arms to place you on the couch. he pecks your lips before rushing out the door with a brief "goodbye", leaving you stuffed with his cum and dizzy in the middle of your living room. you hear his car start and peel out of the driveway, just as your dad texts you that he's almost home. you let your eyes flutter shut as you turn on your side, falling asleep shortly after.

when you wake up, you've got a blanket over your lower half and your dad's sitting in his recliner, glass of bourbon in hand and a cigarette in the other. he doesn't need to tell you that he knows what happened.

#bunnystalker ૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡ #bunny's fics ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ #albert wesker #resident evil #albert wesker x reader #resident evil fanfiction #albert wesker smut #albert wesker fanfic #resident evil x reader #resident evil smut

[grungeprincess2]

Kurt Cobain Quotes

1. I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.

2. Practice makes perfect, but nobody's perfect, so why practice?

3. Friends are nothing but a known enemy.

4. Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are.

5. If my eyes could show my soul, everyone would cry when they saw me smile.

6. I am definitely a feminist. I'm f--king disgusted by the way women are still treated. It's 1993 and some people still think we're in 1950s. We need to make more progress. There needs to be more female musicians, more female artists, more female writers. Everything is dominated by f--king males and I'm sick of it!

7. Thank you for the tragedy. I need it for my art.

8. Drugs are a waste of time. They destroy your memory and your self-respect and everything that goes along with with your self-esteem. They're no good at all.

9. We're so trendy we can't even escape ourselves.

10. I definitely feel closer to the feminine side of the human being than I do the male - or the American idea of what a male is supposed to be. Just watch a beer commercial and you'll see what I mean.

11. I mean, I’m definitely gay in spirit, and I probably could be bisexual. But I’m married, and I’m more attracted to Courtney [Love] than I ever have been toward a person, so there’s no point in trying to sow my oats at this point. [Laughs] If I wouldn't have found Courtney, I probably would have carried on with a bisexual lifestyle.

12. Ever since the beginning of rock and roll, there's been an Axl Rose. And it's just boring. It's totally boring to me.

13. I thought I would try to be gay for a while, but I'm just more sexually attracted to women. But I'm really glad that I found a few gay friends, because it totally saved me from becoming a monk or something.

14. If any of you, in any way, hate homosexuals, people of a different color or women, please do this one favor for us—leave us the fuck alone. Don’t come to our shows and don’t buy our records.

15. The problem with groups who deal with rape is that they try to educate women about how to defend themselves. What really needs to be done is teaching men not to rape. Go to the source and start there.

16. The duty of youth is to challenge corruption.

17. We’re not as popular as everyone thinks, and we’re not as rich as everyone thinks.

18. There are a lot of things I wish I would have done, instead of just sitting around and complaining about having a boring life.

19. Punk is musical freedom. It’s saying, doing, and playing what you want.

20. Words suck. I mean, everything has been said. Words aren’t as important as the energy derived from music, especially live.

21. I'm a spokesman for myself. It just so happens that there's a bunch of people that are concerned with what I have to say. I find that frightening at times because I'm just as confused as most people. I don't have the answers for anything.

22. Holding my baby is the best drug in the world.

23. No one is afraid of heights, they’re afraid of falling down. No one is afraid of saying I love you, they’re afraid of the answer.

24. I use bits and pieces of others’ personalities to form my own.

25. If you die you're completely happy and your soul somewhere lives on. I'm not afraid of dying. Total peace after death, becoming someone else is the best hope I've got.

26. I just can’t believe anyone would start a band just to make the scene and be cool and have chicks. I just can’t believe it.

27. To be positive at all times is to ignore all that is important, sacred and valuable. To be negative at all times is to be threatened by ridiculousness and instant discredibility.

28. You can’t buy happiness.

30. Nobody dies a virgin. Life f***s us all.

31. Music is energy. A mood, atmosphere. Feeling.

33. If you’re really a mean person you’re going to come back as a fly and eat poop.

34. There’s good in all of us and I think I simply love people too much, so much that it makes me feel too f****** sad.

35. I have to admit I’ve found myself doing the same things that a lot of other rock stars do or are forced to do. Which is not being able to respond to mail, not being able to keep up on current music, and I’m pretty much locked away a lot. The outside world is pretty foreign to me.

36. I really miss being able to blend in with people.

37. It’s better to burn out than fade away.

38. God is gay

#kurt donald cobain #kurt cobain #kurdt kobain #frances bean cobain #courtney love #grunge #life quote #beautiful quote #quotes #90s grunge #rock #grunge tumblr #feminism #feminist quotes #queer #punk music #god is gay #kurt #smells like nirvana #nirvana #punk community #holeband #bisexual #inspirational quotes #aberdeen #grunge music #riot grrrl #activism #anti homophobia #anti sexism

[bonefall]

Question about Tiger- what WAS his end goal? We know that he wanted to be TC leader but he really quickly pivoted to "world forest domination" after that failed, which is one of those things that feels like thistle's law would oppose. Also why did he start going after half clan cats while also preaching for the clans uniting under him and him alone one leader? Other than kitty racism of course.

(Gently) If you think that Thistle Law would oppose total forest takeover, then I really recommend you head over to the masterpost on Thistle Law as a concept. Nothing about Thistle Law is isolationist, never has been

The ideology sets itself apart from Hard Traditionalism because it becomes willing to enforce some standard of xenophobic purity. That's what Tigerstar wanted to do. There is no "other than kitty racism." That's it. Stonefur, Mistyfoot, Stormpaw, and Featherpaw's lives are the result of codebreaking and that makes them lesser than other cats.

There is no logical reason for bigotry. It's not a principle. It doesn't make sense. It's reactionary discomfort and cruelty given form.

Tigerstar wanted to decide who was pure enough to live and who was filthy enough to die. These categories are arbitrary.

(Under the cut TW: speaking frankly about miscegenation, segregation, and genocide.)

"But if they all united under one Clan, then they'd just start mixing in the end, wouldn't they?"

No. They wouldn't. The steps go like this;

The groups live together and mingle too closely. To prevent them from interbreeding, the code is emphasized.

Someone breaks the code. They are punished.

The kits are dealt with; either eliminated or considered lesser.

But every birth of mixed children poses an "existential" threat. "Purity" is a concept that has to be protected, if a Pure parent mixes with the wrong parent, ALL of the resulting children are dirty. It is a threat to the concept of purity.

And this continues to happen, and "purity" must be protected, so... the groups need to be kept separate.

There is no such thing as "separate but equal." One group is an underclass, prevented from moving freely. This would have been RiverClan.

But the groups continue to mingle, people won't stay put in a ghetto. More extreme measures are taken. Sterilization, kidnapping, execution...

But that still doesn't work. There's only one solution; Genocide.

The logical conclusion of this ideology is genocide. That's where it ends. It doesn't matter if the fascist believes this at the stage he's at or not; that is the built-in conclusion.

Fascism is a death cult.

Tigerstar's goal was to take over the forest and arbitrarily decide which cats would be "True" cats of TigerClan. He would have weeded out cats seemingly at random, but heavily favored ShadowClan. Eventually, the Clans would shift into various classes, before each one is systemically eliminated.

IF he went unopposed. Fascism is unstable. Hyperemotional, self-obsessed, frothing egotists are REALLY bad at organizing government and its very structure is prone to infighting.

The enemy is everywhere, both strong and weak. You live in a constant state of paranoia. You waste all your money on ridiculous vanity weapon projects and overestimate your abilities to absurdity. You kill off all the intellectuals because you're too fragile to be told no. The biggest liar in history is the person who equated any kind of fascism with "evil genius," spite is blinding and insecurity makes you do stupid things.

Turns out, that's really bad for holding onto power. These regimes crumble like a shitty jenga tower eventually; problem is, they're deadly before that point and drag down thousands of innocent people on the way down.

#better bones au #Thistle Law #tw fascism #tw bigotry #tw genocide #I feel like I get an ask like this every couple of months and I hittem with the Bigotry Doesnt Make Sense line #I gotta make a bus driver meme lmao #Don't make me tap the sign; Bigotry is not a principle. It does not make sense #Ask to tag for anything else btw I feel like bigotry/genocide/fascism should cover it #But if there's anything specific you guys use in your tag filters I'll smack it in

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

I’ve seen people state that Dana Terrace has a tendency to emasculate the characters she doesn’t like, especially villains . Like often making them be defeated incredibly easily or making them do things that go against their established characters. From what you’ve seen do you think this is true?

Honestly, I think you can make the case that she does this to characters she DOES like as well; not the emasculation part, but the out-of-character moments. The most recent offender is The Collector who was previously established as enjoying watching Belos abuse and murder grimwalkers and is looking forward to the Day of Unity, but in For the Future, none of these malicious traits are present, and he seemingly does a 180 in his characterization. They're just a Lonely Kid with superpowers instead of the chaotic god child who apparently delights in misery.

It's one thing to present a character one way and gradually reveal the layers underneath but such a drastic change with seemingly no explanation is not character development, it's a retcon.

The show also has a problem with setting up how some characters change: Darius was initially presented as being contemptuous of Hunter but warms up to him once he stands up to him. Considering his history with the previous Golden Guard, shouldn't Darius know what Hunter goes through instead of assuming Hunter is spoiled? Darius' rebellion against Belos is also muddled; he becomes a fully-fledged CATs member because he cares about people and is suspicious of the Day of Unity. Except, I don't believe we're ever shown why this is the case. Darius is a Coven Head and it's his job to get more recruits and was trained by the previous Golden Guard. Logically, he should be a firm believer, but instead he uses his status to climb the ranks to act as a mole. This is a great starting point but we're missing what triggered this in the first place. The only hint is that the death of his mentor is what started his rebellion against Belos. But this isn't really expanded upon and it raises more questions. How did he find out that it was Belos who killed his mentor? How much did the Golden Guard tell him? If the death of the previous GG is what made him turn on Belos, then why does he treat Hunter poorly? If you're going to have a character act as a mole, then at least explain what their motives are and how they were developed.

This shows how fundamentally flawed the world-building in The Owl House is; characters only follow Belos when it's convenient to the plot. So in the end, you have characters who oppose Belos because they're on Team Good Guy (Darius, Raine, Eberwolf), the ones who support him because they've always been Evil (Kiki and Terra) and the rest of the isles who either celebrate him at a parade or denounce Eda's potential execution because two teenagers said so.

Anyway, onto the villains...

Odalia is essentially a war profiteer who doesn't care that her entire species is about to be wiped out by the DOU, even though logically she should. She cares about her company and a company can't profit if the majority of your customers are dead. She is tyrannical, cruel, and greedy and it's fun to watch her be reduced to a mere servant. I don't mind this development for Odalia, however, it does point to the trend of taking powerful enemies and reducing them to a shadow of themselves for comedic purposes.

Kikimora was presented as a terrifying enforcer of the Emperor's laws but she got progressively more pathetic to the point where she had to impersonate a teenager and serve as the right hand to Boscha, a character we haven't seen properly since Season 1. She is presented as power-hungry, pathologically ambitious, and has an intense desire to earn Belos' favor, but when he turns against her, she helps King find the Collector, effectively helping defeat Belos. But recently, she is back to her Season 2 shenanigans by taking over Hexside and the question is why exactly? We saw her world crumble before her and she reverts back to her previous traits instead of actual characterization. A common interpretation is that she is just THAT obsessed with power that nothing can break it, which isn't...realistic. FtF doesn't show why Kiki does this, she just does. Perhaps because of the psychological damage of Belos betraying her she decides to continue with what she's always done, except that this isn't telegraphed clearly. Instead, she just comes off as a mini-boss before the final showdown.

That leaves Belos as the only real credible threat and while he is terrifying on a personal level, we never see him at his full power; for apparently being the most powerful "witch" in the isles, his magic doesn't really stand out from what was seen before. And in King's Tide, he was just playing with Luz. He is ultimately brought down by his own hubris and misplaced trust, and an over-powered god child. Belos' defeat is thematically appropriate so it's not as egregious as Kiki's but it does fall into the category of "Easily Defeated." Obviously, we'll have to wait for the finale to see if that trend continues.

Belos' defeat by the Collector seemed to set them up as the new threat in town, that Belos, for all of his power, was ultimately nothing and the mysterious Collector is a force to contend with. But no, the Collector is largely kept in check by King. So Belos' defeat doesn't do anything for either character; we don't get any reaction from Belos about his centuries-long plan blowing up in his face and the Collector isn't even bad, just misguided. As for the misunderstanding between King and the Collector and their "new game"? I don't think the Collector will actually do anything that will have lasting damage, not while Belos still breathes.

And that's a common problem the villains in this show have, any attempt at interiority or psychological depth is explicitly rejected by the show (remember Kiki and her family, how she was worried about being disowned? Psyche! She'll drop everything for even a smidge of more power!) and the lesson seems to be "these characters have always been Evil and nothing will change that."

It can be fun watching villains go from intimidating to pathetic, but if that's all you do with them then it becomes boring fast, at least for me. Ultimately, I think the biggest problem with the villains is that you're supposed to take them at face value: Belos, Kiki, Odalia, are Evil for petty reasons and will do anything for power. Not all villains need to be nuanced with complex characterization but if all of your villains are just Evil all the time and the text explicitly does not want you sympathizing with them or even showing a different side to them, then that's just a wasted opportunity to flesh out your world with interesting characters.

#the owl house #toh critical #toh criticism #emperor belos #philip wittebane #kikimora #darius deamonne #odalia blight #toh collector #asks #long post

[mcgnagallsarmy]

Spuffy style Reading Challenge - #27: Monthly Key Word Reading Challenge #3

1st month - Secret, Heaven, True, House, Come, Only, Know, Winter:

A Wonderful Awful Idea by The Danish Bird [NC-17]

With nothing apocalyptic looming on the horizon and hoping to avoid a certain thick-headed commando, it seems like the perfect opportunity when Giles mentions a monster terrorising the good people of Lake Tahoe. What could be more merry than a Christmas trip to the mountains to investigate? The gang is all coming along, defanged vampire in tow. Buffy should totally be able to deal with the demon, ignore Spike and their recent “engagement,” enjoy some resort-town shopping, and be back with Mom on Christmas Eve. Right? What could possibly go wrong? Set in season 4 at the beginning of Doomed.

2nd month - Heir, Night, Bride, Down, Women, Hand, Teach, Guest:

Drive by Holly [NC-17]

Freshly turned and very grumpy about it, Buffy finds herself in a weird place. One where her friends smell like food, her former mortal enemy smells like heaven, and the so-called love of her life has made it clear that killing her is on his to-do list. Throw in some overly zealous army guys and this is not Buffy's idea of a party. So she and Spike decide to hit the road at least long enough to figure out why neither of them can hit anything else. And since they're both single and free, well, Buffy wouldn't say no to a distraction from the never-ending laugh riot that is her life. And Spike can be very, very distracting. Good thing soulless vampires can't fall in love or she might be in trouble.

3rd month - Story, Hunt, Plot, City, You, Cry, Another, Paint:

I Can Get Money by scratchmeout [NC-17]

Spike puts his past to good use to get money for Buffy. However, things become complicated when her ex shows up and targets Spike.

4th month - Darling, Funny, Familiar, Somewhere, List, Meet, Never, Word:

First Alternate by Soulburnt [NC-17]

After ‘Not Fade Away,’ Angel gets the Shanshu. A thrilled Buffy gets her curse-free soulmate. And Spike? He gets his heart shattered again. Gutted and seeing no point in staying in a world without his Slayer, Spike doesn’t hesitate when pursuing a deadly demon through a portal. He finds himself stuck in an alternate reality where he truly died closing the Hellmouth. He also finds another Buffy, one who is devastated that her Spike didn’t believe she loved him. They console each other over their losses… but are they only consolation prizes? Or can two heartbroken people get a second chance for love?

5th month - Library, Dark, Drown, Ex, Iron, Done, Love, Stranger:

If I'm Butter Than He's a Hot Knife by scratchmeout [NC-17]

Buffy meets a man at a bar on Valentine's Day.

6th month - Ink, Fragile, Road, Summer, Breath, Every, Push, Sorry:

Favor by EllieRose101 [NC-17]

Spike asks an impossible thing of Buffy––and is stunned when she says yes. Could he really have gone up in her estimation?

7th month - Mine, Again, Honey, Paradise, Still, Club, Train, Legend:

Eucharist by Holly [NC-17]

He had it all. The prophecy and the girl, merrily ever after and all that rot. But life doesn't stop.

8th month - School, Cut, Sky, Fate, Wing, Belong, Justice, Way:

The Time We Had by Dusty [NC-17]

She was there and then gone. All his life long.

9th month - Twice, World, Man, Quiet, Sweet, Hold, Shallow, Invisible:

Pardon My French by Girlytek [R]

In retrospect, it was probably a bad idea to let Buffy perform a spell in French. Begins at No Place Like Home.

10th month - Vampire, Here, Mist, Death, One, Missing, Bite, Witch:

Sweet William by cawthraven [PG]

After the fall of Sunnydale, Buffy’s living in Boston and working as a waitress, grateful that here, not everyone knows her name. She’s free for once to be herself—and to grieve.

11th month - Spice, Life, Hello, Keep, Truly, Couple, Joy, Young:

Candy Corn Mischief by honeygirl51885 [NC-17]

Spike gets roped into taking Dawn trick-or-treating.

12th month - Snow, Season, Ice, Merry, White, Under, Mistletoe, Inn:

A Christmas Wish by all choseny [PG-13]

On one lonely Christmas Eve, Buffy makes a wish to a stranger and is given a glimpse of what might have been with Spike.

#buffy the vampire slayer #btvs #spuffy #ficrec #reading challenges #elysianholly #scratchmeout #dustyfics #boy I was really trying to have this list consist only new stories

[mx-heinous]

My take on Cal/Gov:

Very long post under the cut.

Gov notices that since Cali has the largest economy, population, and is left-leaning, he's just ultimately useful to him. He's also stubborn and that's gonna lead him to starting fights, causing chaos and division, but he's also not as disruptive as Florida which works in Gov's favor.

On Cal's end, he wants change and he thinks that Gov can help him achieve that. I think that he somewhat cares for Gov's well being cuz yeah, he's a fed but someone has too.

They're both just lonely. Gov's not like the others. Sure, he's also a personification but he doesn't represent any land, people, or culture like the states. Cali on the other hand, is hated by nearly everyone and he's pretty isolated from the rest since he's almost like his own country.

They're both really ambitious and do have good intentions but you all know the saying, "Good intentions are the pathway to hell." Also, they both try to be perfect, pretend that everything's fine with them, but the other can see right through it and they point out that it's just hurting them more.

Also, imagine Cal learning about Gov's "childhood" and piecing together why Gov's like that and essentially going "I can fix him"

Florida's multishipping-ass absolutely played match maker here. He lives with Cali and meets with Gov regularly. How could he not notice?

Gov getting together with a state would probably be really controversial, especially one like California. There's a lot of pressure being under the public eye and they try to deal with it together. This is the point where they either fall apart or become stronger.

Honestly, with the hippie movement, I can see this ship going from enemies to frenemies to friends to lovers. I love a good slow burn, ok?

Do I think they would be the healthiest? I don't know but this has "controversial politician has affair with famous celebrity" vibes and I'm here for it.

I would also like to point out some minor things:

Cali being a tech wiz because of Silicon Valley and Gov being an android would play together really well here.

Also, They're both awful gift givers in canon.

Gov actually tried to show up on time when Cali threw that party and he was only like 5 minutes late.

#wttt #welcome to the table #wttsh #welcome to the statehouse #ben brainard #wttt gov #wttt california #after days of procrastination I finally fixed this thing #turns out all I needed was loud music blasting my ear drums

[the-one-who-lambs]

Which scene from your fics do you like the most? like the one you can most vividly imagine clearly? can you describe it?

I CANNOT JUST PICK ONE but since my mind is on narilamb right now, I think my favorite scene at the moment is from a future chapter in The Risen Lamb and the Fallen God. "Ordinary Happiness is Not Enough" will be an entirely new chapter rather than a rewritten one. I'll keep some specific details to myself for now, but...

Bit o' spoilers below.

Lambert fell first, Narinder fell harder. This chapter is going to take place after Lambert realizes they're in love but before Narinder does.

Though they have the resurrection ritual at their disposal, Lambert had pretty much already come to terms with the fact that their immortal life would be a relatively lonely one. They are a god to their followers, after all, and despite their past attempts to connect with their followers on a more interpersonal level, none of them could fully get past the reverence for their leader. (This is also why, though they accept marriage requests from followers, they've never requested to marry a follower themself-- how could a follower fully distinguish their love for the Lamb from worshipping them as a duty? There has always been an uncomfortable amount of overlap.) Now that they've started to bond with someone who is immortal and on much more equal terms with them than any follower could be, that's suddenly not true anymore. Lambert can't quite fathom the idea that they're getting close to someone who they might be able to keep. This should be a comfort to them, but it ends up becoming more of a source of stress-- even though the two are in the "friends" stage of enemies to friends to lovers here, Narinder still has too many internal dilemmas to confront before he even considered himself capable of love in that way.

So Lambert sees Narinder as their one attainable chance to forge a relationship of equals. They've only recently realized their own feelings. They begin to overthink every interaction they have with him, trying too hard to steer Narinder towards favoring them, and they're not landing.

Lambert eventually snaps due to the stress and lashes out at him-- not for being obtuse, not for being callous, just the tipping point of their own insecurities, culminating in an overreaction to something not too hugely consequential. It gets so heated that Lambert tells him they might as well have just killed him from the start instead of sparing him. They do immediately feel shitty, but in the heat of the moment they're too stubborn to apologize.

Readers of the first installation of RL+FG may remember that Narinder, as a way to avoid confronting his own emotions, goes off on solo crusades. This is the first time he does that. This will later become a repeated occurrence that is extremely distressing to Lambert, because if he dies and they don't find his body to resurrect him... Well, they don't want to consider that possibility. For now, though, Lambert's still fuming. They figure, fine, let him burn himself out and he'll come crawling back here anyway.

What happens on his crusade will not dissuade him from venturing off again, because he's an idiot who's allergic to his own feelings, but he encounters a threat he's not prepared to face. He goes full demogorgon sicko mode but ultimately overestimates his own ability to rise to meet it.

The scene that won't leave my head is the aftermath. Lambert finds him bloody, delirious, on the cusp of death. They're in hysterics. In his delirious state, begins to reveal way too much about himself. He makes an apology and asks forgiveness. They realize at the wrong moment that he thinks he's talking to someone else. They hold each other, bitter and broken and bleeding and yearning in parallel. Lambert tends to his wounds but they have to patch their own themself.

They work the situation out because they want to but mostly because they have to. Lambert stitches his face back together. They've always handled him gently in a way that, more often than not, infuriated him, but this time they treat him as if he'll crumble to dust. It's an uncomfortable process, moreso emotionally to be this close again. They have difficult conversations about trauma and healing, family and forgiveness, the vanishing line between sainthood and sin. They did this to each other. It stays silent, but if it's going to hurt anyway, they'll love each other through it. They already do. Neither wants to think about messing this up, but for a while, they did. It can only get better from here, please, please, please.

(It does. But they both need to have their eternity threatened when almost starts to seem attainable.)

#hannah's rambles #cult of the lamb #There's. ALWAYS that one chapter you look forward to writing. Like I look forward to all of them #But I'm excited for this one specifically. #(the next chapter after that will be a more lighthearted one until Narinder Gets It.) #hannah writes #Yeah sure I'll put this in my writing tag

[vienssunshine]

A Great Team

Relationship: Megumi x Reader

Word Count: 2.5k+

Summary: You meet Megumi in the culling game and are united by a common goal. After spending some time together, it becomes apparent that you both like each other more than you have let on.

This is a repost from my Ao3 @vienssunshine. I hope you enjoy!

Yep, this is it. You're as good as dead.

A sorcerer is hurtling toward your trapped body, ready to plunge his fist right through your head. You try to break free, flexing against the steel bar pinning you into a pile of rubble.

You thought you would last at least a week in the culling game. However, the tumbling debris from a nearby broken-down building changed your plans in a matter of mere seconds. Turning your head away, you hope to survive the certainly lethal blow about to hit you.

Yet, you're met with the screech of an animal and a resounding thud. Cracking open your eyes, you find an overgrown, orange bird smothering the sorcerer you were fighting, holding him in place despite his attempts to free himself. The weight pressing down on you lifts. A large hand wraps around your freed arm, pulling you from the mass of fragmented drywall and concrete.

As you're magically placed on your feet again, you can't tear your eyes away from your enemy. He almost killed you. To be fair, you were unexpectedly captured by stray rubble; it's easy to kill anyone who's pinned, which is how your opponent is now. The question is whether you want to stoop to the level he had and kick someone when they're down.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," a deep voice commands your attention.

Your eyes snap to the man standing in front of you. You aren't sure if you could name the most intimidating thing about him. You're in between the razor-sharp spikes of hair crowning his head and the sour look contorting his features. Did this guy intervene just so he could kill you and take your points? You step back and he releases his grip on your wrist. His expression relaxes to one of utter disinterest.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he says as he examines your body for injuries, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just got unlucky. I got trapped while I was fighting that guy," you turn to the still-floundering sorcerer, "Well, it looks like he's the one trapped now. Thanks for that."

He hums in response, watching his pet bird pick up and fly off with its struggling captive. Despite his standoffish disposition, you realize you don't mind being close to him. His deadpan face reveals no insight into his inner character, but your gut is telling you he is trustworthy. After all, he did just save you. The man raises a brow—were you staring for too long? You quickly look down and away.

"If that's all then, I have some business to attend to," you swiftly turn to leave. Your fight with the now-disposed-of sorcerer had interrupted you on the way to defeating one of the highest-ranking players in the culling game. Although, you can't get as unlucky as you did in your previous battle if you want to take him down.

"Do you know anything about the sorcerer named Hiromi Higuruma?"

His question freezes you mid-stride. Why is this guy asking you about Hiromi? You pivot back to face the man who is now studying you. There's no way he could have known you were going after him. Is he going to try to stop you?

Your eyes narrow, "So what if I do?"

He lets out an exasperated sigh, "I'm looking for him, his points more specifically. So, if you know anything about his whereabouts, you should tell me."

You cross your arms and scowl. Who does this guy think he is, ordering you around like this? It's always the handsome ones with the worst attitudes.

"Even if I do know where he is, why would I share that information with you?"

"Maybe as thanks for saving your life back there?"

Your face flushes. He makes a good point. You could try angling this situation in your favor; it might be easier for you to take down Hiromi if you have help, especially from a strong shikigami user.

"Just so I'm not in debt to you, I suppose I can include you as an accomplice to my mission,"

He rolls his eyes, "I'm your accomplice?"

"Don't look so down. We'll make a great team,"

You lead the way, your new but not-so-eager teammate close behind. According to your intel, Hiromi is hiding out in a theater that, unfortunately, is on the opposite side of the zone. It looks like you'll have plenty of time to get to know your closed-off walking buddy.

"Now that we are partners-in-crime, I'm going to need your name," you say.

"Fushiguro Megumi. And you?"

Despite his drab tone, you introduce yourself. The chat stalls after; you suppose he isn't much of a conversationalist. As you travel past the dilapidated buildings, you can't help yourself from stealing glances at the stoic sorcerer. He has long and dark eyelashes, which no mascara could recreate, that frame his enchanting obsidian irises. His gait is confident, but it has a sense of morbid acceptance about it; it's like he's walking into his deathbed with every step and he knows it. You admire the hands swaying by his side—they're covered in pretty veins that are begging you to reach out and trace them. If he weren't such a brick wall, you could see yourself having a crush on him.

As you are observing how elegantly his eyelashes flutter when he blinks, his eyes flick toward you. Your breath catches in your throat and you drop your gaze. Maybe you weren't as subtle as you thought.

"So...why do you want Hiromi's points?" you stammer, attempting to play off your ogling.

"I need them to help end this game."

"Oh, you're planning on ending the culling game? That's great actually. How do Hiromi's points help with that?"

"I'll use them to add a new rule."

"Okay, what kind of rule?"

"The ability to transfer points."

You sigh, Megumi is excruciatingly to the point. Although conducting some sort of interrogation is the last thing you want to do, it is passing the time...and you enjoy the sound of his gravelly voice. You open your mouth to ask another question when you're interrupted.

"What about you? You don't need his points?" Megumi inquires.

You didn't expect him to be interested in your goal at all. He's probably just asking to see if you will interfere with his plans.

"No, I just need him dead," you give Megumi a dose of his own bluntness.

Megumi doesn't pry, instead looking at the sight in the distance. You follow his gaze, seeing the sky burn red and orange as the sun begins to nestle underneath the horizon.

The raven-haired sorcerer doesn't meet your eyes as he speaks, "We should find a place to set up camp. It's not a good idea to travel during the night."

"Uh, sure thing. How does this place look?" You point to one of the many crumbling office buildings lining the street.

He merely nods. You head down to the basement, usually the safest and sturdiest spot to sleep in a game where leveling large buildings is child's play. Multiple long and jagged cracks shatter the cement floor. The tall gray walls covered in mold frame the spacious room, enclosing you in an uncomfortable but durable bunker. To top off the unpleasant setting, the room is freezing.

Megumi turns to your shivering body, "I'll send one of my shikigami to collect some firewood. That should warm you up." He summons the owl that had taken care of your previous opponent and sends it off into the night sky.

When the bird returns, its large claws are gripping a pile of sticks and branches. Megumi starts a fire with ease and you immediately squat down next to it, eager to relieve your body of its icy condition. You hum in contentment as the warmth of the flames chases the cold from your fingers. Megumi sits down next to you, watching you relax.

"Thanks Megumi, this is a great fire," you turn to him, smiling brightly.

His jet-black eyes meet yours. This time, however, his stare diverges from its typical one-dimensional nature. For a split second, you're granted access to look past his shielded demeanor, and you can see a hint of...something. You can't place the emotion. He looks away, pulling his collar to his chin.

"You're welcome."

You fidget with the extra firewood, using a stick to trace cracks in the floor. Megumi leans back, resting against the hard cement behind him. Once again, you find yourself watching him out of the corner of your eye. The soft glow of the fire illuminates his rosy face. The fire must have done its job of warming him up. You yawn, the energy expended today catching up with you.

"So, who should take the first watch?" you ask, stretching your arms over your head.

"I can. I have a hard time falling asleep anyway."

"Alright, wake me up when you want to switch."

You lower yourself to the hard ground, wincing as you come into contact with the cement floor. The warmth of the fire does little to numb the sharp iciness of the ground beneath you. You tug your shorts down, hoping it will protect a few more inches of your legs. Despite attempting to hide your discontent, Megumi appears to be watching you more attentively than you had thought.

His voice startles you, "You can't sleep directly on the ground, you'll lose all your body heat and freeze."

You push yourself upwards, staring at his unwavering face. You weren't expecting the culling game to be a walk in the park, and you know you can handle the cold, as uncomfortable as it is. However, annoyingly enough, he is right—the frigid ground is rapidly draining your body heat. You certainly can't fight Hiromi as a human popsicle. But, you have no blankets to separate you from the ground. Maybe you could get some leaves from outside and-

"Here, take my jacket."

Megumi pulls the dark fabric from his body, revealing a blank tank top underneath. Your face warms at the sight of the ribbed cloth hugging his built upper body and it takes you a second to realize he is holding his jacket out to you.

"Uh...thanks, Megumi," you say, placing his top on the concrete ground. The jacket protects your legs from the chill, but still, your arms are left exposed and covered in goosebumps. Megumi tsks in disapproval.

"It's really fine, Megumi. The jacket helps a lot," you try to convince him.

"I'm not letting you freeze to death."

"Well, do you have any better solutions?"

He begins studying a crack in the wall that has suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world. Why is he being such a pain in the ass?

He starts, "If you're okay with it..."

He fidgets with the strap of his tank top, running his finger underneath the black fabric.

"You can sleep next to me to stay warm."

Your eyes fly open at his suggestion. You didn't expect a gesture as kind as this one from him of all people. Yet, here he is, selflessly offering his body for your comfort. Why would he do something as intimate as this? Did he like you? No, you slightly shake your head. He must be doing this because you are working together to kill Hiromi. He would be a pretty bad partner if he let you die a preventable death, and you'd be a pretty stupid partner to not take him up on his offer.

"Okay," you softly agree.

You move next to him, sitting side-by-side and leaning against the wall. Slowly, as if he were a cat you could scare with any sudden movement, you rest your head on his muscular shoulder. Your eyes flutter, he is so warm. You wrap your arms around his bare bicep, securing yourself to his body. You realize he is still in his tank top.

"Whoops, here you go," you lean away, grabbing his jacket from the floor and handing it back to him. Megumi takes it in his free hand, but instead of putting it on, he places the jacket on your bare legs as a makeshift blanket. His gesture makes you feel warm and fuzzy and it's hard for you to stay awake now.

"Are you comfortable?" Megumi asks you in a low voice, whispering into your hair.

"Mm...yes," you mumble, rapidly sinking into unconsciousness.

Megumi dutifully watches over you as you sleep on him, careful not to risk waking your sleeping form by moving. Thankfully, nothing disturbs your slumber. You would pity any sorcerer who would face your wrath if they interrupted this moment. After a few hours, he gently shakes you awake.

"Time already?" you yawn.

"Yeah, are you okay to watch until sunrise?" Megumi observes you as you hand him back his warm jacket.

"Yeah, yeah, get some sleep," you reassure him.

Megumi untangles himself from you and lays his jacket on the ground.

"What are you doing?" you ask.

"I'm going to sleep on the floor," he responds in his typical matter-of-fact way.

"Megumi, we already decided that it's too cold to sleep on the floor."

He looks at you, unsure of what to say. He is so difficult to understand, blunt and withdrawn in one moment, but caring and selfless in another. He must not want to sleep next to you for fear of making you uncomfortable. What a gentleman, you inwardly scoff. It's not like you would mind this handsome sorcerer resting on you—it's beneficial for the mission too. You won't stand a chance against Hiromi if your partner is sleep-deprived. Before you know what you're saying, you make him an offer as he had made you.

"What if you slept on my lap?"

He stares back at you, stoic as a statue. Your heart drops. Did you really just suggest that? Offering a man you have known for only the past few hours the option to sleep on your lap is not a normal thing to do. Even if said man is incredibly handsome, and gentlemanly, and kind, and-

He moves toward you. His closeness causes your frantic mind to sputter, overloaded with information.

"Are you sure?" he breathes.

His typically unreadable expression is filled with palpable sincerity. You can't help but let your guard down around someone who makes you feel so safe.

"I'm sure."

His spiky hair descends to your lap and he nestles his cheek onto one of your thighs. The rest of his body curls up to you like a cat in front of a fireplace. You watch as sleepiness gentles his sharp, elegant features and his eyes fall shut. His typically furrowed brow and tight lips relax into a dreamy expression which causes your chest to swell with warmth.

You're struck with the urge to touch the silky black hair splayed across your lap. It looks so soft. You hesitantly dip your fingers into his messy locks. Your hypothesis is proven correct, it is so soft. You stroke your fingers through his hair, running your fingertips along his scalp and playing with his dark tufts. Your heart jumps when a small sigh escapes Megumi's lips.

"Is...is this okay?" you meekly ask.

Megumi nuzzles his cheek deeper into your thigh.

"It's more than okay, it's perfect," he sleepily answers. One of his strong hands rests on your thigh, gingerly stroking your skin with the pad of his thumb.

His serene expression amazes you; you can't believe that this is the same gloomy sorcerer from before. You focus on your new side-mission: keeping watch while gently petting your partner's hair until golden sun rays peek through the cracked ceiling. In those few hours, Megumi got the best sleep he's ever had.

#megumi x reader #megumi fluff #megumi x you #megumi fushiguro #fushiguro megumi #jujutsu kaisen fluff

[tarnishedinquirer]

Misc: The Coast and Cave

((Sorry, no pictures, my recording messed up))

Boc said he was going to a cave on the coast to recover his sewing supplies, but that was a while ago. Granted, we didn't exactly agree on a meeting place, but I was starting to grow worried.

After my brief crisis of reality, I found a road down to the shore. A troll seemed to be patrolling, and he could keep doing that as far as I'm concerned. No business of mine.

On the shore proper, I saw a flash of light moving across the ground in a fixed pattern. I tried to swing my sword at it, but it took a little while to get the timing right. The light only showed me where it'd just been, not where it was now.

It was one of those scarabs I've seen around. I've gotten some flask refills and ashes of war off of them, but never really paid much attention. Can't think of a reason why a stamping sweep technique would cause the scarab to become invisible, so I'm not gonna worry too much about what this one means either.

Someone built a campfire on the northern end of the shore. One of those mounted mercenaries, just staring out to sea. When I got closer, I saw a dead long-neck. Scratch that, looks like the long-neck built the fire and the mercenary just stole his lunch. I returned the favor and moved on, with a bit more food in my pack.

Fought a giant land octopus, which is something that exists here. Met one of Kalé's kin, hiding out under a ruin arch. But then I reached the end of the shoreline, at a giant waterfall. More like a deadfall, given how many broken boats and barrels rested down here.

Then there were the skeletons.

My first fight with the undead since getting here. I quickly learned that they would get back up if I didn't make well and sure they were dead. Smacking them while they were on the ground seemed to work, but it's easy to get distracted and forget to finish the job. I wish I could have gotten a good look at them, as they seem to be wearing some unique armor, but as soon as they're truly killed, they crumble into dust.

That wasn't my only problem. There were Piles of rotten blood and bones that were nearly immune to my sword and my spells. Thinking quickly, I thrust my torch into them and that did the trick. Are these undead that didn't fully form? Maybe too rotten and jumbled up to make a real body.

Having reached the end of the road, I doubled back to find Boc's cave. Wasn't too hard to find because this time I was ambushed by a mob of his demi-human kin. I can see why he didn't fit in. Most of them aren't nearly as urbane as the elegant Boc. Savagery is no match for skill though, and I'm very skilled.

They sure did a number on Boc. Poor guy was barely clinging to life, and all over some needle and thread? He tried to warn me about going deeper, but I couldn't let this one slide.

After clearing the first room of the brutes, I felt a presence, like there was someone else standing here, but somewhere to the side, in a direction I couldn't point to. I called out, and he answered.

Didn't have much time to compare notes, since the boss room was right in front of us, but I got the feeling we were here for different reasons. He kept looking towards the end of the cave, like there was something there only he could see.

The Demi-human camp was ruled by two chieftains, so we each took one and my wolves dealt with the stragglers. At least, that was the plan. I take back what I said about savagery being no match for skill. These were tough customers who kept me on my toes. I barely had time for spells. (Note: Memorize the pebble spell) Istvan fought with one of those strange pole-swords I've seen the mercenaries use, but through it he channeled some strange purple magic that sucked enemies in. After nearly getting gutted by the chief, I let him handle both of them and instead just pelted them from a distance.

Once the chiefs were dead, he didn't stick around to chat either. I wonder what he was looking for? Regardless, I got what I needed. Once I showed Boc his sewing needle, he lit up and I could almost see the life returning to him. Just to be safe, I honed my sewing skills on some of his wounds. He took it like a champ and let me keep the kit. All he wanted was that needle.

Questions:

What was Istvan searching for?

Where did the skeletons at the bottom of the waterfall come from?

#elden ring lore #elden ring #in character #in character blog #in character post #elden ring rp #elden ring oc #elden ring tarnished #let's play

[wolfmadefromash]

Another Buddie WIP

So this is the Young Buddie WIP, because I seem to like Buck and Eddie meeting when they're younger. I'm not anywhere near ready to actually publish the fic, but I'm liking it so much right now that I thought I would share what will likely be the first chapter.

To give a general overview, as general as I can manage... Eddie's family (household only) moved to a more central city/town during his freshman year, with the idea of his father getting more time at home if he isn't literally crossing the entire state. Buck's (only known as Evan in the beginning because his nickname and how he gets its will remain the same) father is a general in the Air Force, borderline retired but the kind of military man who's made his whole like about the Air Force. They move to Texas from Maryland (near DC) just before Buck (and Eddie's) sophomore year when Mr. Buckley is assigned there to assist in the training process. It being Texas, Buck and Eddie meet at football practice - it's light on the football stuff because my knowledge in limited and I don't care to really look it up beyond positions. The 2 hit it off and become instant best friends, bonding over their issues with their respective parents.

I have the chapters splitting between a more present timeline where Eddie is speaking to a therapist, then jumping to like a flash back of sorts which is the focus. It starts with a therapy session prior to Eddie's moving out to LA. Eddie's not sleeping, stuff from overseas on his mind and some trauma resurfacing from when he was in high school. MAJOR WARNING for this story, there is homophobia and physical abuse that will appear. Eddie's father is depicted as a stereotypical Catholic father from Texas, he is not a good person and at this point I am undecided if he will ever be seen differently. Eddie's mother is also frustrating, but Abuela? We love Abuela, as usual. Also the Diaz Sisters, Sophia in this is about a year younger than Eddie and they'r very close while Adriana is about 5 years younger. And Shannon isn’t the bad guy really, am also thinking about altering that plot point and also keeping her alive.

In this first chapter, it's Eddie and Buck friendship, ending with Buck being open to him about who he is, and Eddie kind of freezing.

I'm going to put that little read more thing here, if you read this far and are interested, then read on. Again, this is only what is to be the first chapter, I have barely gone back through and made any edits so things may change when I'm ready to publish. I'm over 30K word in and Buck and Eddie have yet to be reunited... Because yeah, there's a separation.

Texas, 2018 

“Tell me about the relationship between you and your parents.”  

Eddie turns away from Dr. Marsh, crossing his arms over his chest like a petulant child. It didn’t matter that he voluntarily started therapy, that he recognized the damage done to him throughout his life and his time in the military. He still didn’t want to talk about certain things.

He came here because he was having nightmares, and it was starting to scare his 6-year-old son. The nightmares were about his time in the military, getting shot out of the sky and pinned down by gun fire, thinking he was going to die and never see his son again or the wife who left him anyway. Maybe, sometimes, that war zone that flashed in him mind shifted into a familiar Texas scene, with a lake in the background and the sound of a party happening yards away. And maybe sometimes the pain of bullets tearing through skin morphed into the feeling of fist colliding with his face. Once or twice, maybe, the enemies he saw in the desert looked a lot like his father.

“I’m here to talk about what happened to me in the army.” He told Dr. March firmly. “Has nothing to do with my parents.” 

“Okay.” Dr. Marsh shrugged her shoulders, leaning back in the cushioned chair she seemed to favor. “Let’s talk about why you joined the Army then.” 

Eddie’s gaze slide from the window to meet the counselors annoyingly kind eyes. “What does that have to do with me almost getting killed?” 

“What does you joining the Army have to do with you almost getting killed?” She asked with a quirked eyebrow. 

Eddie huffed, throwing his hands up. “You know what I mean. My reasons for joining have nothing to do with the things that happened over there.” 

“Not directly maybe, but you willingly put yourself in a position where your life would be at risk. You tested high, Eddie, very high as I understand it and you could have had your pick of any job yet you picked one that would certain put yourself right in the middle of the fight. Wanting to help people, save them even, is commendable but you threw yourself into danger with a new wife at home and a baby on the way.” 

“I was trying to provide for my family.” Eddie argued. 

“But you chose a position that had people shooting at you. Why not move towards a role as an engineer? You certainly have the intelligence and aptitude for it and it would keep you out of harm's way while still allowing you to have a vital role, why combat medic? Why something that would pull you away from your family?” 

“Because I needed to get away from my family!” Eddie snapped, gritting his teeth. “Not... not Shannon, or-or Christopher.” He corrected quickly. 

“Then who?” Dr. Marsh asked the question so gently that Eddie felt the resistance leaving him as he sagged back into the couch utterly exhausted. 

“My father.” He sighed. 

“Just your father?” Dr. Marsh prodded curiously. 

“My mom is... blinded by the man she believes my father is, the man she fell for at 16. She has this drive to keep our family together and that's taken a precedence over other... things.” 

“And what kind of man is your father?” 

Eddie lifts his eyes to meet Dr. Marsh’s in a cold stare. “A homophobic, bigoted, violent son of a bitch.” Dr. Marsh pauses a moment before taking a breath and making a note in the book laid open in her lap. “You at a loss for what to say after that one Doc?” 

Dr. Marsh closes her notebook, laying her hands gently on top as she looks at Eddie. “That’s a very harsh opinion to have about someone.” 

“It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. With the exception of son of a bitch, I guess. That’s not entirely accuate, my abuela is one of the sweetest women you’d ever meet. But the rest?” 

“Is a fact.” Dr. Marsh finished for him. 

“He came across me and my first boyfriend fooling around in my truck and dragged me out by the back of my neck and then proceeded to beat the shit out of me in front of him. My boyfriend had to break his nose in order to even get the upper hand to drag him off me. So, yeah. It’s a fact.” Eddie’s chest was heaving, his whole-body trembling at a memory still so fresh in his mind he swears he can taste blood in his mouth. 

“That’s horrible.” Dr. Marsh gasped, her hand on her mouth. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts and trying to regroup. “I’m sorry, I... I’m supposed to have something constructive to say, something helpful.” 

“Need a minute?” 

“Do you?” She asked, nodding at the clenched fists in his lap. “Eddie,” She started, leaning forward in her chair. “You may have come here to find a way to fight the horrors you relive in the middle of the night, but we can talk about this.” 

"It... it's been part of the horrors." He admits, shaking his head. “I haven’t... I haven’t talked about it or-or him since... well, just... since.” 

“Would you like to? If the memories there are too difficult, we can work up to it, we should work up to it.” 

“Memories of him are... good.” Eddie said with a small smile, his gaze fixed on his lap. “His name was Evan, his dad was an Air Force general, and his family had just moved to Texas; he was my best friend. I was still kind of the new kid too since we’d just moved to Abilene from El Paso near the end of my freshman year.” 

“I didn’t know that you’d moved at all while in Texas.” Dr. Marsh commented. 

“Dad was a petroleum engineer, traveled all over the state for work, was hardly ever home.” 

“An engineer of any kind was never going to be on the table as a career path for you, was it?” Dr. Marsh concluded, jotting down something as she reopened her notebook. 

Eddie snorted. “Kind of ridiculous, I know. The positions are nothing alike but I needed as much separation as I could get, if my Abuelo hadn’t been such an important part of my life, I’d have changed my name.” 

“Your father’s absence had to have put a stain on things.” 

Eddie nodded. “I guess. We never had that picture perfect, father-son relationship where we’d play catch in the yard or go to baseball games together. He was gone more often than he was home, and he expected me to be the man of the house at 10 years old. We moved out to Abilene because it’s a little more centrally located than El Paso, the idea was that he’d be able to cut down on come travel time and be home more.” 

“Was he?” 

“He was able to be home for longer stretches, a full week instead of a few days but that’s about it. I'll say, it made moving back to El Paso easier.” 

“Why did you move back?” 

Eddie looked back to Dr. Marsh. “Because, my father found out I was having sex with a boy.” 

-----  ----- 

Texas, Sophomore Year - 2006 

Eddie stood on the sidelines, waiting with the other perspective quarterbacks to step up and show the coaches what they had. He’d done well at his high school in El Paso, his coach had reached out to sing his praises and sent off some highlights of his first season. He was good enough, even as a freshman, to be on varsity. The captain of the team had an injury halfway through their season and he was in first rotation to fill in so he’d been able to get a lot of time on the field. But, this was Texas and everyone had to prove themselves to make their spot on the team. 

He watched the other players move and work together, spotting some weaknesses himself. His eyes caught on one player in particular. The coach was favoring him for different plays he was calling out while testing the prospective quarterback, even pairing the running back up with some of the seniors out on the field. This kid could move. He bobbed and weaved through the defensive line and he was right there with solid blocks against the offense coming at his quarterback. Eddie watched the ball as it sailed thought the air, looking back down at this golden-boy running back and thought there was no way he’d get under it in time. But sure enough, something switched in this kid and he bolted, not only getting under the ball but ahead of it in time for it to just simply fall into his waiting arms just as he crossed the line for what would be a touchdown. 

“Diaz! You’re up!” The coaches bellowing voice reeled Eddie’s focus back in. “We’ve got you going with Buckley, simple snap and run the ball. No plays, just work on instinct. Your old coach says you’re a natural, I wanna see it.” 

“Yes, sir.” Eddie said, slipping his helmet on over his head and moved to the line-up. 

Buckley jogged over to him, his wide grin visible through the bars of the facemask. “Hey!” He said, holding his hand out. “I’m Evan.” 

Eddie nodded, shaking his hand. “Eddie. You new?” 

Evan shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, moved here last month.” 

The whistle sounded. “Have your little pow-wow on your time, not while you’re on my field. Run your play!” The coach called out. 

“Let’s get to it then.” Evan slapped Eddie’s padded shoulder and went into position. 

Eddie snorts, shaking his head as got behind the Center. He looks across the defensive line he’s up against, trying to get a read on them and spots a small shift in the one’s stance and knows then where he needs to put the ball. He gets down into position, calling for the ball to be snapped. His arm is cocked and he’s throwing the ball out to the right side, a blur of motion wizzes past him and Evan has his hands on the ball in a blink, tearing off toward the end zone. He’s take down about 10 yards from the line but made it 40 yards before anyone was able to touch him. 

The coach has them run a couple more times, letting Eddie go with his gut again and then calling our specific plays to make sure he knows them and can follow instructions. Each time Eddie makes a move, Evan is there right where he needs him to be, catching the ball or coming in to block without any direction needed. He’s the perfect partner, he see what Eddie seems to see in the other plays that have him change course, he can read Eddie in a way no one ever has before. At the end of practice, he feels like he’s hardly had to do any work with how easy Evan made everything. 

Evan bounds up to him as the team heads to the locker room to shower and change. He’s practically bounce, his grin splitting his face and his eyes shining with excitement when he yanked off his helmet. “That was awesome!” He said, his shoulder knocking into Eddie’s as they walked. “I don’t know what it was! I just knew everything you were going to do!” 

“Yeah.” Eddie laughed, holding his helmet at his side. “It was wild, man. I’ve never been so in sync with someone before. I barely had to do any work at all.” He joked, heading over to his locker. “You made my job way to easy.” 

“Diaz, Buckley!” Nate Goulding, a senior captain, came strolling through their row of lockers. “You boys going to be our dream team this year? Get us to state?” He said, dropping his hands on Eddie’s shoulder and giving him a light shake. “Damn you got one hell of an arm, I’m a little worried about my position.” He laughed, patting Evan’s back on his way past. “Great work out there today! You two were seriously in the zone. I’ve never seen anything like it. This is gonna be our year!” He hollered, chanting Eagles, getting the others riled up as he went. 

Eddie laughed, tugging off his practice jersey and slipping out of his padding. “So, you’ve been here a month?” He asked Evan as the other boy got undressed next to him. 

“Yeah. My dad wanted to be down here in plenty of time for tray-outs and practice. He had a trainer lined up here to make sure I’d be good to go, Texas football is no joke.” He said with a laugh. 

“Yeah, you kind of have eat, drink, and breath football down here. Where’d you move from?” 

“Maryland. My dads in the Air Force, he's desk bound for the most part after a car accident a couple years ago. He’s heading up the training programs down here now.” Evan tells him, pulling out a towel and shower gel. “He’s a miserable bastard anymore, not that he was pleasant before.” 

“I know what you mean.” Eddie said, pulling out his own stuff to clean up. He sees the curious look that Evan throws his way and just shakes his head. They head off to the showers and Eddie knocks his knuckles to Evan’s arm before they split off. “Hey, did you want to hang out after, grab lunch? There a good sandwich place in town, they have great shakes too.” 

“Yeah! I-I mean... sure, yeah that sounds cool.” 

Eddie chuckled. “Okay, meet me out front in 20?” 

“You drive?” Evan asks. 

Eddie smirks. “Of course.” 

“So, what do you do for fun? There doesn’t seem to be much to do.” Evan asked, seated in a booth across from Eddie. 

“There’s not, I mean there’s the zoo and museums and stuff but when you live here, you don’t want to do that tourist stuff.” Eddie laughed, taking a bite of his sandwich. “I don’t watch TV much, I have 2 younger sisters so they usually have control or my mom does. Movies I see aren’t even ones I would pick.” 

“Because of said sisters?” Evans says with a smile, dipping a fry in ketchup. 

“Exactly. Most people go for a drive or hang out by the lake I guess.” 

“You guess?” Evan says with a laugh. “I thought you were a local?” 

“Yes and no. I’ve only been here since April, we move out here from El Paso.” 

“Is your dad military too?” 

Eddie shook his head, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Nah, petroleum engineer. He travels all over the state for work, El Paso is on one end and he thought that having something more central would get him to be home more.” 

“Did uprooting his family work?” 

Eddie snorted. “Not really, it gained him an extra 3 days home. But its give the illusion of being better so my mom went along with it.” 

“So, your dad’s not around much then either?” 

“Nope.” Eddie says, popping a fry into his mouth. “When he is, he’s on my ass about something. Yard work, my room, my truck, my grades, my sisters.” 

“Speaking of truck, you gotta tell me how you’re able to drive?” 

“Well, first you need a working car. Then you get in the driver seat, that’s the one with the big circle in front of it that allows you to steer the car-” 

Evan rolls his eyes, tossing his balled-up straw wrapper at him. “Fuck off, you know what I mean. We’re the same grade, so I assume that means the same age. I thought you couldn’t get your license until you were 16.” 

“You can get it at 15, there are some hoops you have to jump through and different qualifications you have to meet. I’d have my license in a few months anyway but my dad insisted on it, it called a hardship license or something. I personally don’t think that I qualified, but he pulled some strings, I guess. It’s good though, I can help my mom with my sisters when schedules overlap or when she has to work on the weekends. I can pick them up from school if I need to for her or take them to the doctor.” 

“So you help your mom with your sisters a lot then?” 

“As much as she lets me, she still wants me to be a kid but then I get my dad on my case about being a man. They’re not exactly on the same page there but he’s not home enough for them to figure it out, and mom doesn’t want to always be fighting. So, I’m stuck being pulled in two different directions. I don’t mind helping with Adrianna and Sophia though, I like spending time with them.” 

“What’re the age difference between you guys?” 

“Sophia just turned 14, I’m just over a year older than her so we’ve always been really close. She probably my best friend.” Eddie says with a fond smile. 

“Well, was, you mean. Because I plan on taking that title.” Evan says with a beaming grin. 

Eddie snorts and bobs his head. “Right, was.” 

“How old is Adrianna?” 

“10, well almost 10. She’ a brat too, welds that pout and her big brown eyes like a weapon to get whatever she wants.” 

“And you cave every time?” 

“Pretty much, yeah.” Eddie says with a laugh.” What about you? Is it just you and your dad or what?” 

“No, mom’s here too. She thrived on being the general’s wife.” Evan said with a roll of his eyes. “We were just outside DC so there were all these different functions she went to as the wife of an Air Force General. She made my dad’s rank her whole personality so, she’s not really happy about being down here; I don’t think there will be many people impressed by the status of her husband.” 

“No siblings?” 

“Ah. Yeah, I’ve got an older sister.” Evan tells him, his eyes dropping to the table where he’s fiddling with his napkin. 

“Is... everything okay there?” Eddie asks cautiously. “I didn’t mean to step in something.” 

“No, it’s fine, just... complicated, I guess.” 

Eddie frowned, tapping the side of Evan’s calf with his foot. “Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to bum you out. This is probably why I don’t have a ton of friends.” He said lightly. 

“Really, it’s fine. We don’t... I’m not allowed to talk about her, it’s kind of a sore subject with my parents. My dad really pushed for her to join the military, follow in his footstep and he does the same with me. He had me on weekend retreats back in Maryland and different trainings, really wanted me in the Naval Academy in Annapolis.” 

“Not the Air Force?” 

Evan shook his head. “He doesn’t want anyone giving me any sort of special treatment, he’s a decorated officer and his name holds a lot of weight. Navy, it’s a different branch and while he’d be respected, his name and rank would do nothing for me. He doesn’t want me to ‘ride on his coattails’.” He explains, using air quotes. 

“Wow. What a dick.” 

Evan laughs, nodding. “Yeah, he is. He’s one of those guys who think that his branch is the greatest of them all and looks down on all the others. I floated out the idea of joining the Coast Guard, just to see his reaction? I thought his head was going to burst. He doesn’t want me in the Air Force because he thinks I’ll sully his good name, so he’ll settle for me being in the Navy. Maddie, my sister? She was going to be the one to carry on his legacy. But she didn’t want that, she wanted to be a nurse. She move out when I was 8 and went to school in DC so I still saw her all the time, then she met her boyfriend Doug. They stayed around for a while but he ended up getting a job in Boston a couple years ago, the two of them moved up there together and got engaged. My parents refused to go to the wedding, they hated Doug, which meant I couldn’t go to the wedding either. I haven’t seen her in 3 years, we talk on the phone when I can sneak around to do it because my parents would lose their mind if they found out. We’re supposed to shun her or something, like that will get her to change her mind.” 

“That really sucks.” 

“It’s not great, but... it’s nice to be able to talk about her.” Evan gives Eddie a small smile. “Thanks for listening to me ramble.” 

“What are friends for?” Eddie tells him, taking a sip of his milkshake. “You know, if you need a place to hide out and call Maddie, you can always come over to my house.” 

“I think I’ll do that.” 

----- 

Eddie and Evan learn that they share almost all of their classes together with the exception of phys ed and their 2 elective classes. Eddie’s dad told him he would be taking a business finance class along and auto shop, telling him he needed to make the most of his education and take classes that will help him when he joins his company after graduation or classes where he will learn a real skill. 

“Photography? Writing? What can you do with that Edmundo? No, you need something useful.” His father had told him when he’d brought him his prospective schedule for his sophomore year. 

Eddie liked photography, had an interest in it and had hoped to learn more and he found the he really enjoyed writing to. He want to take the photography class offered and a creative writing class but, his father called the school and had his classes changed. 

Evan, had a music class and an art class telling Eddie that his parents didn’t seem to care about his selected courses one way or the other because he future was already sealed. 

"How’s the first day?” Eddie said, placing his lunch tray down on one of the small picnic tables outside and sat on the bench across from Evan. “Get lost yet?” 

Evan looked up and smiled. “You’ve been with me for most of it.” 

“Yeah, but not the art class you just came from.” 

“Well, considering its right across the fall from the cafeteria...” 

“So, you haven’t gotten lost then.” Eddie grins, looking down at the food on his tray. “I hate school lunches.” 

Evan chuckles, sliding over have of his Italian sandwich. “I didn’t want to risk it the first day so, I got a sandwich from the pizza place down the street from my house last night. You can have the other half.” 

Eddie pushes the tray to the side and takes up the sandwich. “You’ve definitely taken over as best friend.” 

“I’m sure Sophia will be crushed.” He laughs. 

Eddie finds that he finally enjoys Abliene. His days are more enjoyable with Evan’s smiling face meeting him in the morning and sitting across from him at lunch. Practices are great, the whole team is really meshing and Evan seems to be a key part of that. He’s far more outgoing than Eddie and talks to everyone, no matter what position they play or if their first line or not. Every time he started getting pulled into a conversation, Evan was tugging Eddie along with him.  

Evan was smart too, he paid attention in class even when it looked like he wasn’t. He and Eddie would get together every day after practice and do homework and study, at some point at least once a week Evan would lay back on Eddie’s bed and talk to his sister. Eddie would usually take that time to get them something to eat or drink and check in on his sister so Evan could have a few minutes to himself with his sister. 

They were the perfect dynamic duo on the field, rotating in with the seniors of their positions when needed. There were games that they would start, if the coach had felt like they’d fallen behind too early in the previous game, but most often they came in for some of the last plays of the night to secure the win. They were trending to head to state until Eddie got sacked by one of the linebackers from Amarillo, dislocating his shoulder and spraining his wrist. Evan had got blocked on his way to cover him, he blamed himself for him getting hurt and blamed himself for losing their next and last game of the season. 

“Ev, it’s not your fault.” Eddie told him, sitting on the tailgate of his truck looking out over the lake. “It’s a full contact sport.” 

“Yeah, but my job is to have your back.” 

“You got blocked, Amarillo was doing their job.” He said, swaying over and knocking his uninjured shoulder to Evans. “Seasons over, we’ll get it next year.” 

“If I’m here.” Evan said with a sigh. 

Eddie paused, turning to his friend with a deep frown. “You’re moving?” 

“No, at least I don’t think I am. But I didn’t think we were moving out of Maryland before coming here and we did. I don’t know what’s going to happen, my parents don't tell me anything.” 

“Well, I’m going to assume you’re not moving. Because then I’ll be friendless and alone again and that’s just too depressing to think about.” 

“Right.” Evan agrees with a firm nod. “No point in thinking the worst.” 

“Exactly.” 

“You know, I think you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” Evan tells him, looking down as he kicks his feet back and forth. 

“Yeah? Me too. Well, besides Sophia but this is different.” 

They’re quiet for a while, music playing from the radio filling the silence. “Hey, Eds? There’s something I want to tell you.” 

“Well, you know you can tell me anything, Ev.” Eddie tells him sincerely. 

“It could be weird.” Evan warns before looking up and meeting Eddie’s eye. “I don’t want things to be weird with us.” 

“Never gonna happen.” Eddie reassured him. “Seriously, if there’s something you want to tell me you can. If you don’t want to talk about it that’s fine too.” Eddie wasn’t sure what it could be that Evan wanted to share with him, but it had to be important if he seemed this worried about his reaction.  

“I don’t like the feeling that I’m hiding something from you.” Evan inhaled a deep breath, looking out over the lake. “I… I’m bi.” He said quietly. “I-I like girls and guys, both.” 

Eddie raised his eyes rows, surprised by the confession. He didn’t expect that, he thought maybe Evan was going to tell him he got a girl pregnant not that he... “Oh.” He didn’t know how he was supposed to respond, what he should say. If he even should say something. 

“It’s not like… I’m not a pervert or anything. I’m not in the locker room just staring at everyone.” 

“Right. That’s… that’s good. Considerate.” 

Evan snorted. “I’m not some asshole, I don’t ogle girls either like some of the guys. I’m respectful no matter who it is.” Eddie nods, his mouth feeling dry. “Hey.” Evan reaches out and puts a hand on Eddie’s arm, he jerks involuntarily and Evan pulls his hand away. “Sorry.” He mumbles, hopping off the back of the truck and taking a few steps away. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You know, I-I can probably walk home from here.” He says, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

Eddie sags, feeling like an asshole. “Evan.” 

“Maybe I’ll have a run, keep in shape for next season.” 

Eddie slides off the tailgate, sighing when Evan takes a few steps away from him. “Ev, come on.” 

“No, really! I think it’s probably better that I run.” 

“Your house is like 10 miles from here.” Eddie argues. 

“Well, it’ll be a good run then.” 

“Evan, just... just stop, okay? I’m sorry. I... I never... I’ve never had someone tell me something like that and I just... I don’t know how to respond.” 

Evan nods, wiping his nose and blinking his eyes. “Right. Of course, so naturally you freeze up and jump away from me like you’re going to catch something.” 

“No, I wasn’t... I wasn’t doing that!” Eddie says. “I... fuck, I’m sorry.” 

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” Evan says quietly, shaking his head and turning his back to Eddie. “I figured since you were my best friend I could and I just... I was stupid.” 

“Ev, come on man. I am your best friend.” Eddie takes a few long strides and grabs Evan’s arm with his good hand. “Don’t go, okay? I-I mean if you want space or whatever because I’m an asshole fine but at least let me give you a ride home?” 

Evan sighed, he turned back to the truck with a nod, hopping into the passenger seat without a word. They drove back to Evan’s house in silence. 

“You didn’t have to say anything, you know.” Evan said as they pull up outside his house. “I just, I wanted to tell you. It’s not something I ever felt like I had to hide until moving here and it was just sort of driving me crazy no one knowing but my parents.” 

“I’m sorry.” Eddie says again. 

Evan nods and hops out of the truck, going into his house without another look back. 

#buck buckley #evan buckley #evan buck buckely #eddie diaz #buddie #young buddie #eddie and buck #buck x eddie #buddie fic rec #911 fandom #buddie 911 #buddie fanfic #buddie fic #buddie ao3 #buddie wip #911 fic #911 abc #911 fanfic #buddie fandom #buddie fanfiction #911 wip #buddie preview

[bunbeeplays]

The Lemon Legacy: Generation 1, Chapter 57 - Xander Does a Think

Xander, quiet! Ophelia needs to focus on waving her screwdriver around the coffee maker!

Now that Ophelia is a rising star, she got a gig performing at The Rabbithole, a celebrity hotspot. Xander's not a celeb and doesn't have a shift today so he's on his own.

Ophelia goes for a jog to clear her mind before her gig. She's apparently been doing it a lot because she's now at level 8 of the fitness skill!

Ophelia's jog is cut short when she runs into Mila Munch, who asks for an autograph.

Mila: My boys didn't believe that I was there during your viral video! Their mom, catering for the stars?

She didn't cook jack shit but Ophelia feels like it would be rude to point that out.

Mila: Can you make it out to Lucas? He's my youngest. He's been playing that video of yours non-stop and singing along.

Ophelia: Aww, of course. Want me to say anything in particular?

Mila: Follow your heart. I tell him that all the time but it'd mean the world from you.

A supportive parent? Ophelia can't relate.

Ophelia: That's lovely. Here you go. Just do me a favor.

Mila: Anything!

Ophelia: Keep telling him that. It'll definitely mean more coming from a loving parent than some random musician when he's older.

Mila: Thank you, Miss Lemon.

By the time Ophelia gets back, she has to leave.

Drew and Moses are busy, his parents are still out of town and his sister's family is visiting Hector's cousins. Xander doesn't know what to do with himself, so he practices some yoga to clear his mind and think about some stuff.

Since his parents' trip, Xander hasn't been home for anything other than watering the plants. He loves his parents, and their house is way bigger than Ophelia's, but he feels so comfortable here. Maybe the house's owner helps. He'd live in a cardboard box is she was by his side.

Deep down, Xander knows Ophelia is the one for him. He loved Jules but he's IN love with Ophelia. She makes him the happiest he's ever been. He wants to take the next step and move in together, but his parents aren't getting younger. Can he really just leave them all alone?

Even though they're elders, they're very capable. They'd be fine without him. Xander just knows that as the result of a geriatric pregnancy, he's not going to get as much time with them as other Sims do, but he knows his parents wouldn't want him to put his life on hold for them.

Maybe he can talk to his parents about it when they get back in town. They were so excited to hear he found someone who treats him right, so he's sure they'd be supportive if he moved in with Ophelia.

Looks like this yoga stuff is good for thinking AND for getting fit!

Xander makes his mom's tandoori butter naan for when Ophelia gets home and tries to do a fancy mixing trick like his mom can. It doesn't work out so well for him.

Ophelia's become an excellent cook. Surely his mom will love that about her.

The naan is ready and Ophelia will be back soon. Better keep Marshmallow entertained!

Marshmallow: an illuminated intruder! surrender yourself, foe! i have slain many enemies in my nine lives.

Now that he's showered, Xander's doing his own legacy challenge but he's actually gotten his Sim pregnant with the next generation in a reasonable time. Can't relate.

Marshmallow: father, cease your witchcraft with that wicked box and give me snuggles

Xander sees Marshmallow's pissed so he gives her her fave ball to play with.

Marshmallow: that is more like it. i would plunge into the depths of hell for this ball.

Ophelia's home!

Ophelia: Aww, she's clipping through the ground! That means she likes you.

Ophelia: Something smells amazing. You didn't have to make dinner.

Xander: I wanted to. I wasn't just going to sit on my ass and let you eat cold leftovers after working all most of the day.

Ophelia: You're too good to me.

Ophelia: What'd you do besides play chef?

Xander: Not much, just did some thinking.

Ophelia: There's a first time for everything.

Xander: Watcher, I love you.

Ophelia tells him about her night, but his mind can't help but wander. He really does love her, doesn't he? Yeah.

Xander knows he doesn't just want to move in with Ophelia. He wants to keep building a life with her. It's just the first of many next steps they'll take together.

#The Sims #The Sims 4 #The Sims 4 Legacy #The Lemon Legacy #TS4 #The Sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 #generation 1 #ophelia #xander #marshmallow #mila

[mitchfynde]

This is my best argument in favor of taking anti-white statements seriously.

Racism is, to some degree, a learned behavior. I don't even want to hear your opinion if you disagree with this. I'd argue it's probably MOSTLY a learned behavior.

Scene. There is an anti-white comment being said somewhere. You know, something about thin lips or whatever. They specifically used the word "white" in the comment. There is no ambiguity, it's an anti-white statement and everyone understands it as such.

A generally well-meaning fence-sitter says something to imply that this is not okay to do. They either get downvoted to the point where they are not seen or they get mocked by responses.

What happens next? Do you think this person had a good experience where they learned something? There's something inherently unfair taking place. Discrimination based on inherent traits. And they were rejected from a social group as a result.

I'll tell you what happens. You just sent this person off to Become Racist School. The only people replying to them now are people who are probably secret or overt white nationalists. If nobody replies to them, their frustration festers, maybe they search things up, and the same thing happens. Why?

Why do we allow this to happen? It's not as if the sentiment expressed about the unfairness of anti-white statements was incorrect. You blew it off because you have painted it as a dog whistle. It didn't start that way. You made it into one. I'm not denying that dog whistles exist. Of course they do. But people can write totally benign comments and get labeled as such.

Is it really worth the risk? The benefits of this behavior is that you immediately ostracize the minority of people who are white nationalist dog whistling. Is it worth doing that to risk growing their ranks, potentially to an exponential level?

And the worst part in all of this, truly the most despicable aspect of this whole discussion, is that it was for nothing. The anti-white statements never needed to be made. They're useless. At best, they are a person of color expressing frustration, but they are never ever something constructive. There's never a totally clean application. It's quite simply not ever worth uttering such a thing.

Stop wasting your time with pointless stuff that only serves to grow the ranks of EVERYONE'S worst enemy. Even white people are not going to want to live in that white nationalist world. We need to fight this stuff, but it needs to be intelligent! You are capable, I promise you. Be smart about this stuff. Our future is worth it.

#racism #wokeness #white supremacy #anti white #reverse racism #race #anti woke #identity politics

[azzandra]

I don't think I realized how wide-spread video-game like "systems" were as a literary device until I started reading transmigration stories (and, ok, transmigration stories aren't the only ones, but for some reason it does seem to pop up a lot in this genre). I haven't yet encountered a story that does the meta thing of actually delving into where this pseudo-game UI thing originates, though I'm sure there's plenty out there (if nothing else, when the trope gets lampshaded, transmigrators will often make reference to things they've read in other stories).

However, I will confess that every time a system appears in a story, I like to picture that behind the scene there is like, a huge call center where customer service employees sit in their own little cubicles and tap away at their computers, providing system users with service.

This especially accounts for the disparity between systems' usefulness in stories: in some they are an active hindrance, locking users into a set of behaviors and penalizing them for trying to stray from the script. In others, the system acts as an overpowered god-like machine showering the user in perks and advantages and deus ex machina-like interventions at every turn. In most stories, systems fall in the middle, where it's a mixed bag of advantages and drawbacks.

Now, I personally like to believe that how helpful a system is depends on how helpful the customer support agent behind the scenes is feeling.

Because I'm just picturing the, like, progression of one of these agents as they begin all rosy-cheeked and naive and wanting to be so gosh-darned helpful! So they keep tweaking everything in their user's favor, granting them OP junk and bending the plot for them in every way, until the user gradually becomes an asshole and spirals out of control and just makes a huge fucking mess of everything.

But that's fine, probably. That happens. Uhhh... our nice agent doesn't lose their faith in humanity! Even when the cynical colleague one cubicle over snorts and says what happened is fairly typical, our intrepid agent will prevail and help their next user with reaching a happier ending! So they go in on their new case, maybe dial back on the overenthusiastic bonuses and--uh... this one gets killed horribly through a mix of overconfidence and bad decisions. Hm. Okay, okay, it's fine next one is going to be just--aaaand this one becomes a manipulative, tyrannical asshole.

Okay, it's-- maybe it's just the quests. Gotta give out quests that encourage good morals! ...and now this user became a puritanical judgmental busybody.

Eventually, it's hard not to become even a little cynical, you know? What's the lesson here, that given even the least bit of power over others turns people into monsters?

New tack then! If helping doesn't work, let's give these users something to work for! No free shit, they gotta EARN their currency! They think they're so lucky? Bam! Every time they think things are going well, Murphy's Law comes to beat their ass like they owe it money! You want a quest? "Don't die, moron", there's your quest. You get five points if you survive. Spend that in the shop, dipshit.

And for a while, this maybe seems like a better attitude to take. The users are forced into rising to the occasion or suffering catastrophic consequences. With their leashes being shorter, they can't derail the story or the intended narrative as much. Some may even reach the desired outcome, albeit the road is hard.

But all the punitive quests, the limitations and the meager rewards take their toll on most users. Some make mistakes they never recover from. A lot fail, hard, in painful, deadly ways. And the agent grows increasingly uncomfortable as they realize the users being subject to all this become like rats in an experiment, constantly terrified of getting zapped for even twitching the wrong way. The system becomes not a tool, but an enemy, a monster, a strange thing to overcome. The agent gets, on more than one occasion, a screen blowing in their face when a user manages to attain some power that allows them to unshackle themselves.

And hey, the agent has other problems too! Like, the manager is always on them about their metrics, because they're not hitting the goals and they're dragging the whole team down!

So maybe the agent loosens up a bit. Maybe they recalibrate and try to balance out their attitude towards the users before they burn out completely.

And by the time some newbie agent comes to fill up the cubicle next to theirs, they'll have some wisdom to pass down.

#writing blather

[hareofhrair]

Hare's Isekai Quest - Ascendance of a Bookworm

Recently I saw a post about female led isekai series and I decided to make a list and read some of them. I started with Ascendance of a Bookworm since I got the impression it was well liked and the premise of a book lover getting isekai'd to an fantasy world and making it their quest to increase literacy seemed really compelling to me. I think the series is complete, but I only read up to halfway through part three of four. I would have liked to have reviewed the whole thing just for fairness, but at the beginning of part three, the available english translations became so bad I was struggling to continue following the story. I'd also sort of stopped enjoying it very much by that point so I didn't see a reason to continue struggling.

A quick summary - A woman who loves books more than anything is crushed by a falling bookshelf and wakes up in the body of a five year old in a fantasy world. She's appalled to find herself a commoner in an illiterate agrarian society and decides to invent printing so that she can be surrounded by books again. Unfortunately, she's not only a child but also incredibly weak and sickly, able to do very little on her own. Gradually she makes progress by relying on other people and eventually builds a relationship with a merchant to begin selling the things she remembers from her previous life while working towards the goal of eventually printing books. When she turns seven it's discovered that she has an abundance of magical energy (which is part of what causes her sickly condition) and she's forced to become a priestess at the local temple, where she continues running her printing workshop and also takes over an orphanage. Conflicts with people who want her knowledge and magic power lead to her being adopted into the nobility, and also taking over the temple entirely after the temple head becomes her enemy. Still at seven, she's basically a bishop, running several workshops, and two orphanages. All of which is a distraction from making books, which is still all she cares about.

Overall, my impression of the story was that it's mostly mediocre. It's generally inoffensive and kind of bland. I get the feeling that at first (up to the end of part two) maybe it was trying to be a slow kind of relaxing story, making progress gradually over time without a lot of action, but I'm not sure it succeeds. I think mostly it just feels like nothings happening most of the time. It doesn't really get a plot going until the end of part two, and it comes at the cost of basically abandoning all the characters and progress made before that, since it's all now irrelevant.

The art is competent, but doesn't stand out at all. It looks like stock anime style and doesn't ever really push things. There's no stand out visuals or panels to speak of.

It's difficult to judge the writing too much since I was reading a translation, but it seemed weak at first and got gradually worse. It felt like a lot of things happened "just because" rather than following organically from the premise. The main quest for printing gets sidelined with increasing frequency as things go on in favor of political drama that's very superficial. A million characters are introduced and then generally fall to the side with nothing to do. Characters that were incredibly important throughout earlier parts all but vanish.

One thing I struggled with was the main character's motivation. She's supposed to love books, but she seems to love them in an abstract way I can't understand. She wants to collect a lot of them, but she doesn't care what they're about. She loves the action of reading, but she'd be just as happy reading a phone book as a novel. It made me feel like maybe the author had never actually met someone who loved reading. Her personality is also somewhat inconsistent, going from fainting at the sight of a pig being killed to nearly murdering a guy through magically induced heart attack with zero qualms. She's sweet and innocent sometimes, then cold and calculating when the plot needs her to be.

It's a personal gripe, but I also didn't like the capitalist, profit motivated approach to things, or the reverence it seems to have for the idea of nobility. Monarchist vibes.

And finally, the almost inevitable question with manga (particularly wish fulfillment isekai), "how much did the author's weird fetish get in the way?" There wasn't too much of that thank goodness, but where it does pop up it's... distressing. One of the main character's attendants at the temple is an eight year old orphan who's been previously living with the head of the temple, declares her goal is to be acknowledged as his mistress, and when asked about her skills sits on an adult man's lap in a very suggestive manner saying this is basically all she's good for. It's later made clear that this is common for the orphans living in the temple. Everyone, including the main character, just seem to accept this and handwave it without really batting an eye, with the main character later saying something about that "just being normal here" after a joke is made about her being in a relationship with an adult man. Fortunately, it doesn't come up a lot, but boy is it Present.

In conclusion, I can't really recommend this one. The pace is very slow, the premise starts out improbable and gets more ridiculous over time, and it's all kind of a let down compared to the promise of the original idea. Makes me want to write my own version.

4/10, generally inoffensive but unmemorable

#hare's isekai quest #ascendance of a bookworm #isekai

[redjaybathood]

I really want a Jason Tood as Red Hood movie, but like, nearly classic Red Hood. Expressionless helmet, tiny white eyes, form fitting leather jacket, no bat on his chest and barely using guns.

Specifically I want him taking apart some CADMUS operation or other government thing making child soldiers. It'd be more in the vain of John Wick the first, than the usual action beat-em ups.

Though I do imagine him fighting Bane maybe solely for this exchange.

Bane: You stand against the man who broke the bat, what can one of his errand boys do? Jason: Yeah I beat him up too. Unlike yourself though I did not need to break out all of Arkham to wear him down first. But hey, we can't all be winners.

Also him hacking and erasing all the info and specifically choosing to kill the head scientist as he's the only one who has all the info memorized (its a back sight there are no back ups) and crush their head solely cos its pragmatic, showing his kills are strategic.

Yeah, okay, I'm a man of simple pleasures, like Jason moving through the crowd of enemies with whatever he has on hand. And taking down enemies bigger than him, with brains to rival the muscle.

But also, consider this, just a few suggestions to make a mess out of Jason's usual MO.

1) who guards the lab with child soldiers? Child soldiers. Now, suddenly he cannot mow the guards down

2) I humbly propose the following children: Cloud 9, Babe in Arms, DNA, Doomed, and Devour - as the child soldiers in question

3) Killing the head scientist will solve the problem with this particular lab, but not overall with the principle of the thing that someone, somewhere, signed off on it; put together a budget; provided supplies; etc etc. And killing those people, most of them paper-pushers, not all of them fully aware of what's going on, just being good soldiers, just doing what they're told and not asking questions... It won't solve the issue.

4) And, you know, sometimes dumping the whole thing on Internet and making public outrage do its thing is helpful, especially in a re-election year, but a Congressal hearing is a must, too. This one is going to be the biggest since MKUltra, bigger than Facebook even. Hopefully, more successful.

5) Jason doesn't trust the system but that's the thing, the system needs to be checked, and the system needs to be changed if found lacking. He can't do it alone, so he asks basically everyone there is for help, everyone who ever owed him a favor. The list of those includes, but is not limited to, the whole Batfam, Batman Inc, and misc Gotham vigilantes; Titans, late 80-s iteration; Talia al Ghul; Wilson family (Slade didn't wave the fee but he gave a discount because he also has a bone to pick with people who do experiments on children to turn them into weapons); Outlaws. From the legal side of things, Kate Spencer/Manhunter (hell yeah a US government vs Gen O lawsuit), from the political, Barbara Gordon, who was at this point the mayor of Gotham and is running for the governor.

The head scientist had died in a freak accident (very sad) but other scientists become the first ones to be prosecuted for illegal human experimentation. As does the guys from the government side who put them up to it.

(this could have ended very differently, bc at first I came up with a scenario where Jason has to give himself up for the case to move forward; he would then be tried as a terrorist and be given death penalty, where, after the sentence is carried out, he's found by Harvey Dent - and he decides to join him bc a) he's dead anyway and b) to go undercover and ensure no funny business here)

#asks #fic ideas