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brookheimer · 11 months

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i feel very mixed on shiv's ending, particularly her choice to return to tom -- i think it makes sense from a thematic/character arc perspective and is a powerful yet devastating indictment of both shiv and the world that created her as well as showing that the cycle of abuse will always continue to cycle, that shiv will become her mother etc, but i also think it does not make sense from a character/internal logic perspective. it's a choice that makes sense from the writers, but not from shiv, not yet. it could've been a brilliant ending to her character, but is tainted for me by the less-than-ideal execution of it, which felt very rushed, making shiv's final submission to tom feel forced by the show rather than forced by the situation or honest to her character. the ending is not inherently misogynistic from the writers' side as i've seen some criticisms claim (it is a dark but real portrayal of misogyny within capitalist society and how it's internalized within the white women who end up at the hips of the CEOs who run it), but i do understand how it could feel that way. the show fails at building up to (and thus convincing us) that the version of shiv we currently know would so immediately subject herself to her mother's fate, so instead of it feeling like shiv's hand was forced by patriarchy to place herself into her worst nightmare, it instead feels like the show itself was the thing that forced shiv to take that route, which does leave a sour taste in the mouth. it doesn't feel like the result of a choice shiv would make or the impact of patriarchal society bearing down, it just feels rushed and thus wrong. shiv would've benefitted immensely from a few more episodes or even just a few scenes dedicated to teasing out her newfound willingness to subject herself to immense disrespect in order to remain close to power, but given that her entire character has always been defined by her inability to do just that unless forced to (which i don't think she was in this situation as she could've easily not waited in the car for tom, not put her hand in his, but she did), her return to tom feels hard to comprehend, and her near immediate submission to him hard to stomach.

(read more under the cut because jesus christ did this get long)

in my mind, at least, i've always understood shiv as being respect-driven rather than power-driven -- she wants power, yes, but more than anything she wants to be taken seriously and respected and seen as a legitimate player, and time and time again we've seen her blow up situations that would've been very advantageous long-term because she felt disrespected and needed to speak up and force people to take her seriously (which, ironically, typically results in the opposite). shiv's overarching goal is power, but her immediate necessity is always respect. her dignity is her number one priority at any given moment, even when it shouldn't be, even when it stops her from attaining the success and power she wants. i can kind of understand shiv going against kendall because of this -- she's always had a very, very narrow lens whenever she feels like she's being disrespected, and even though it is infinitely more humiliating for your (somewhat ex) husband to betray you and boot you out of the CEO position behind your back at the behest of your supposed closest ally (and for you to still vote for them after that!!!) than it is for you to magnanimously allow your brother to be CEO (which would publicly be seen as a choice, as telly etc said - sibs need to stand united behind one chosen CEO - rather than shiv being out of the loop and fucked to infinity), the narrowness of her vision upon seeing kendall about to win makes it impossible for her to think about that legitimately. it's not just jealousy, it's indignity: shiv feels she earned CEO through her machinations with mattson and feels genuinely sick seeing the loganified kendall grinning at the head of the table, hearing his "that's fucking right" and witnessing his cocky entitlement to the job that belonged to her. so, she does what she always does when she feels disrespected, when she feels her dignity is at stake, and impulsively blows everything to fuck, including her own best interests. that makes sense for shiv, at least somewhat -- i still think that as much as she wouldn't want ken as CEO she'd feel like at least w that outcome she'd be seen as a player and a deciding factor, whereas with mattson/tom she'd be viewed as a pathetic fucked-over nothing woman pawn etc (a situation of unparalleled indignity imo), but i can rationalize her choice to go against ken anyways as being part of the narrowed field of vision she always gets upon feeling disrespected by men in her life that makes it impossible for her to think strategically (and i guess even though the disrespect was greater and more humiliating from tom/mattson than ken, ken was the most recent most present and most lifelong source so that's all she could focus on; seeing him like logan was too much to bear). it's hard to imagine shiv publicly throwing her vote behind two men who publicly fucked her as humiliatingly as mattson and tom just did, even if the other option is kendall, but i think that's part of it -- it's fundamentally illogical, even from her disrespect-lens, because there's just something about kendall specifically being in charge that she's never been able to stomach. it's visceral and impulsive. it's not meant to make "sense." it's just what she feels she has to do to preserve her own dignity, even though it works directly against those same interests realistically. it wasn't executed very well, making it hard to entirely buy it given just how publicly humiliating the alternative is, but it can still be chalked up to her historically one-track-mind when it comes to indignity by the hands of kendall in particular. it's a last-ditch attempt for shiv to at least feel like she's maintaining her dignity, her self-respect, as counterintuitive as it actually is. it makes sense. i can stomach it.

again, shiv's fatal flaw (in logan's eyes and aside from her original sin of being a woman) has always, always been her inability to shut up and make the smart move in situations where she feels she's being disrespected or not taken seriously. if shiv stayed quiet during that dinner with the pierces, maybe she would've been logan's CEO, but no, she couldn't stop herself, she needed to feel she was being taken seriously, she burst out 'cmon, dad, just tell them it's going to be me.' she is unable to play it smart, to keep quiet, to win when winning means perceived disrespect. she's allergic to it. even on a personal level, she shoots herself in the foot constantly because of this: she is unable to let herself have the things she wants because she can't put herself in positions that open her up to disrespect and perceived inferiority. she can't be vulnerable because she needs to be respected. tom asks her if he could 'try to make love to her' in episode one of this season, and even though she clearly wants to, she says 'no, i don't think so, tom.' tom tells her he 'wants her, wants this' back in episode six, and even though she clearly wants that too, she draws back and says 'well then you shouldn't have betrayed me.' shiv is fundamentally incapable of allowing herself to remain in possibly advantageous situations when she feels at risk of being seen as lesser, of being disrespected, of being perceived as weak. that is her response to patriarchy. when patriarchal forces bear down, shiv is unable to grin and bare it -- she has a short fuse, a sharp tongue, and an inability to entertain even a second of being treated like The Woman, of being looked down upon, especially when it's for her gender. it's the one thing she cannot do, cannot let herself do, and it's why she fails to "win" over and over and over again. she shoots herself in the foot the second her patriarchy disrespect sensors tingle. she makes the wrong choice, the dumb choice, the one that makes her feel like she stood up for herself in the moment but ends up leaving her powerless and helpless in the end. that's the only explanation for why she chose to vote against kendall (the clearly better option for her long-term as she'd 1) be respected as part of the decision, as someone who helped choose the CEO rather than a Woman who got fucked over and had the door slammed in her face by her husband and close ally simply because she possessed a womb, and 2) probably be head of ATN or some other area of waystar, she'd have actual power within the company and be respected as a legitimate source of power rather than the CEO-to-be made CEO's humiliated wife -- if she was capable of making the smart, selfish choice in terms of power instead of having a hair-trigger reaction to gendered disrespect and cocky male superiority, she would have voted kendall. but she is not capable of doing that. she never has been. so she voted tom and mattson.

so what i still cannot for the life of me understand is what would compel this shiv, the one who cannot stomach indignity even when power's on the line, to immediately return to tom's side the second he beckons her, which is like five minutes after he becomes CEO (the job she was promised) by mattson (who gave it to tom instead of shiv because 'why get the baby lady if i can get the man who put the baby inside her?'). it makes perfect, cruel, devastating sense from a show perspective, and that's what most people are talking about, understandably. it's a devastating yet unavoidable, inevitable outcome. she's left with no other choice once she makes the decision against kendall, and patriarchy compels her to play the good wife to stay close to power. except, like... she does still have a choice. she does not have to go back to tom's car. she does not have to sit patiently waiting for him. she does not have to quietly congratulate him on his victory. she does not have to place her hand in his. these are all choices she made very voluntary. they're choices between maintaining her dignity and self-respect at the cost of future power versus maintaining the potential for future power at the cost of her dignity and self-respect -- the classic siobhan roy conundrum. she's been faced with it time and time again (even just five minutes prior with kendall) and she has never, not once, chosen the latter of her own volition. she hasn't been able to. that's her fatal flaw. maybe i could stomach her going back to tom if she didn't congratulate him, didn't place her hand in his when he expectantly held his out -- then some dignity would be preserved, maybe. but her complete and total submission for the sake of future power does not make sense with her lifelong inability to do just that. it makes sense that this would be her eventual endpoint, but we have seen nothing that implies shiv would so willingly subject herself to this feminine submission of wife and mother before person or source of power, to the complete and utter humiliation of being the quiet wife at the side of the man who knifed her in the back (and notably handed said knife by the man she thought her closest ally) in order to steal the job she fought for her entire life and, in her opinion, had earned. maybe she would come back to him eventually, for love or (more likely) for power, but it is incredibly hard to believe that shiv 'impulsive when faced with indignity' roy would be capable of immediately and publicly playing the role of the good wife after such intense and public humiliation at the hands of her husband.

really, the way i feel about the shiv ending is similar to how i feel about the daenerys ending -- unlike most people, i really wasn't that against the daenerys outcome. i thought it made a lot of sense and was interesting, devastating, and fascinating. i thought there had been a few signs all along and that that ending for her would make sense and be far more interesting than a Hooray ! Girlboss ! ending. however, it was poorly executed -- it was rushed. it did not make sense from where daenerys was at that point in the text. it could've worked, it could've worked brilliantly, but it needed more time to build and fester in order for her ultimate turn to feel earned rather than forced for the sake of the point the writers wanted to make. that's kind of how i feel about shiv. i get the ending and i don't think it's inherently bad or misogynistic or anything, but it feels like the writers saw the possibility for a shiv 'mommed' ending and immediately took it, with little regard to what actually made sense for shiv herself to do in that moment. outcome > character. that's frustrating for me particularly for succession because my like number one reason for adoring succession as much as i do is their consistent refusal to operate the way most media does (using the characters as instruments to achieve the plot/outcome the writers want), instead prioritizing following the characters themselves in a way that feels honest and real. it's character-driven, not plot or ending driven. i think that this fell by the wayside a few times in the latter half of this season simply because there was so much that needed to happen in such a short space of time (especially during the finale), but in my opinion, at least, the most egregious case is shiv. given more time, more development, more build-up, the last shot of her hand in tom's would've struck the chord the writers wanted it to -- and for some people, it did anyways! but for me, it rang out and fell nauseatingly flat. it felt hollow and wrong and unearned. shiv could end up becoming her mother, that feels entirely possible, but not in this particular sense, not yet. in what world would siobhan roy willingly choose to be seen as nothing more than a woman hanging off her husband's arm, especially when said husband had publicly humiliated her and ruined her entire life just five minutes prior? when, just five (metaphorical) minutes prior, she was the one poised to be CEO and everyone knew it? when now everyone will see her on tom's arm and whisper and gawk? she has become her worst fear, yes, but unlike kendall, it does not feel earned. it does not feel like she has actually become her worst fear. it feels like the show forced her to. not patriarchy or the situation or her own desire for power, but the show itself. that's what feels so shitty.

i wouldn't necessarily call the writing misogynistic as a result of this, as it's less a flaw of misogyny and more a flaw of bad, rushed writing that could happen to any character. it's the same as with daenerys -- although (somewhat unlike succession) there were many, many aspects of GoT's writing that were deeply misogynistic, especially in the last season (just look at fucking brienne), the core issue with the daenerys plotline is not one of misogyny but of time. they did not give daenerys the time needed to become the version of herself seen burning down the city. that could've easily been a focus of previous episodes, but it wasn't. they simply did not develop her enough for that turn to make sense yet. it could make sense, hypothetically, at some point down the line, but at that point it felt sudden, off-putting, and wrong. shiv could easily become her mother. that's been made evident especially regarding her relationship to pregnancy/children, love, and vulnerability (or the lack thereof). but for this ending to make sense, we would have needed to see signs of shiv imitating her mother's willingness to be relegated to the sidelines, to bring out the food while the men eat and make deals, in order to remain tangential to power. that is a concession shiv roy had never been willing to make prior to the last five minutes of the entire show. other signs of shiv imitating caroline or falling prey to patriarchal norms throughout the show are not enough to undo shiv's fundamental refusal to weather gender-related indignity even when doing so would benefit her. in my opinion, that's why the final five minutes of shiv's plotline were so unsatisfying.

shiv could become her mother, and her ending could be a devastating portrayal of the inability for even rich white women to escape their original sin of being a woman in a man's world, as well as a dark, ironic criticism of both women like shiv and the patriarchal world that breeds them into existence. but because the show did not develop shiv in this particular direction and because her entire character thus far has been defined by her self-destructive insistence on being respected at all costs, shiv's ending did not land the way it could've, or should've.

#WOOF okay this was long. not even gonna read it over bc if i do i'll never stop editing to it or adding to it and god knows no one needs tht #so if it's shit well. forgive me #but yeah this is just my take. i felt really unhappy w shiv's ending but didn't quite know why because the ending itself i can imagine bein #fine with but really i just feel very frustrated by the show writing over any agency she would normally have had in order to make their #point by the time the episode ended #honestly the more i think about it the more i feel this season should've had more episodes -- i think another season after this one would b #GREAT for me personally obviously but unnecessary for the show itself and possibly too much of a good thing #but at the same time the latter half of this season could really have benefitted from a little wiggle room and space to develop #so it wasn't just Sudden Mattson Likes Tom or Wait Did Mencken Disappear or Remember Roman's Sexuality or SHIV FUCKING SHIIIIV lolllll #ok. this is too long. post #succession #succession spoilers #long post #and i mean LONG #should i do a read more? i never know what the like courtesy is lmao #well . yall asked for it so here u go #shiv roy #succession meta #i guess #edit i did a read more this is disgusting LOLOL #100 #casey shut the fuck up about shiv roy

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cold-neon-ocean · 7 months

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As for why Wolf has purple eyes (in case anyone was wondering lol), his eyes actually used to be brown when he was younger, but he was experimented on and and augmented to adjust to living in space- including his eyes, so that's why they're purple bc they're cybernetics

#Orca #Killer Whale #Ocean #Space #Orca OC #Orcafolk #[ I realized I never explained why he has purple eyes outside of discord lolol #or really talked much about him XDD #ngl there are reasons I'm apprehensive to talk more about his backstory outside of just vague tidbits laksdfg #but he originally came from a small coastal orcafolk community where he lived with his family #then was captured by aliens (idk who yet) and experimented on so now he lives in space #that's the long and short of it lol!#purple is definitely not a natural eye color for Orcafolk but I realized no one would have known that XD #well now you know!!#I would like to talk about him more I just don't want people to be pulling things from his story that aren't meant to be there sobs ]#Neon Ocean Art

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bigcats-birds-and-books · 15 days

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Replenishing the Nonfiction Stack; or, We're Calling the Book Buying Ban a Wash, Officially.

I am not, apparently, immune to coupons for niche nonfiction that's directly up my alley (octopus minds and RUSSIAN OWLS, hello??? Thanks, bookshop!).

I thought perhaps the BURGLAR'S GUIDE would also be covered under said coupon, since it was publisher-specific (alas: it was Not, but we might as well bundle for shipping purposes). And then while I was shopping IRL for gifties I found a copy of ROOM, which has been on my list for...ever? So! Hopefully these will hold me over on the nonfiction front for a minute!

#books #book photography #nonfiction #tbr #a burglar's guide to the city #geoff manaugh #a room of one's own #virginia woolf #other minds #peter godfrey-smith #owls of the eastern ice #jonathan c. slaght #it was an FSG/Picador coupon that bookshop sent me lol #and i knew burglar's guide was also FSG but apparently the coupon was only for Specific Books on their List #(owls and minds)#so. those were impulse buys.#burglar's lowkey was too tbh #ROOM was 'if i cannot literally buy myself a room of my own right now i will purchase this book about it'#(the housing market will be the death of me i stg)#i saw a snippet from burglar's on this hellsite and thought 'ah architecture and thievery YES please'#seriously all my niche interests right here lolol #and yeah okay i really did think i was going to moderate a book ban (read 5 buy 1)#but i've been failing at that since. january. and i will not catch up at this stage :(#so we'll just call that dead to the world and pretend it didn't ever exist :)#ANYWAY PLEASE BEHOLD MY PRETTY BOOKS!!!#i had a spine shot but i didn't love what it did to the photoset composition lol #might as well post that separately here i goooo

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achilleslyre · 7 months

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@aquataines ohhh absolutely i am soo happy to talk about food as an amalgamation of the uchihas love and the way it haunts them after the massacre. i'm really passionate about this so you don’t even understand the can of beans you have opened. i am going to be talking about both canon and filler in this though, because there is lots of supporting canon however filler continues to support and fuel this thought.

growing up with his family, sasuke is very commonly shown at the dinner table with his family eating together, and it’s where a lot of conversations with his family take place. now to start this off, i’m going to point out the obvious that the uchiha canonically are a clan that holds too much love inside of them, which is what develops their sharingan. carrying so much love within you of course needs an outlet to come out. we don’t really see the uchiha showing much verbal affection towards each other but sasukes family very obviously loves each other. fugaku even tells itachi that he doesn’t wish for words of flattery, but nonetheless to show his thanks and return the love back to itachi for what he said fugaku immediately offers to get him his favourite snack, dango. so we would infer that they communicate their love to each other in a different way. food.

sasuke and his family really share their most intimate moments together when they are in the kitchen at the table. here is where sasuke asks fugaku why itachi doesn’t give him much attention while at the dinner table, and fugaku explains that itachi is just not very social, sasuke later admits to mikoto that he thinks he’s unfavoured between him and itachi by fugaku, to which mikoto explains the differences between him and itachi and reassures him that he’s not. it’s where they’re seen talking most commonly just in general as well, about the sharingan, about training, exciting moments, ect.. the dinner table is where their love is shown when they gather together and eat the food that mikoto has made with the love for her family. it’s where they feel most comfortable to show their love and be honest because in the kitchen is where their love grows.

why is the food their centre of love though? just in general making food for someone is something very special, intimate and ultimately caring. you are turning basic ingredients and foods into something for others to not only to take nutrients from, grow and gain strength from, but also to spend time with them and enjoy the taste of the food you made with care together. you pour the love you have into the food you make for the people you love because you want to see them be happy and healthy. for people like mikoto and itachi who’re shown to enjoy cooking, it’s something special that they put everything into because not only do they want to see their family eat to keep them alive, but they want to see them enjoy the taste and feel the care and love for them that they’ve stored within the food as they make it. they want to place their love inside their family and have them carry their love around wherever they go and what better way to store their love inside them other than to put it in the food your make for them? mikoto is obviously the main cook of the uchiha household and she makes sure that her family stores the love she puts into the meals she cooks inside of them. she is frequently seen ensuring that her kids are fed, making sure they’re filled up, making them lunches, giving them snacks and making sure they are eating good food.

itachi as well, in filler, spends the episode finally getting to be around sasuke and bond with him. the day was spent making sasuke happy and sharing the love that he does have for sasuke with his brother, and at the end of the day makes a huge feast for sasuke. he made him so much food to show sasuke that he cares about him and loves him, he wants to see him eat and he wants to see him eat well. he intends to pack him full of his love. not to get into the fact that clearly mikoto would have had to teach itachi how to cook, sharing the ‘secret’ of spreading love. now this isn’t canon however i personally would like to think (considering how young itachi is here and how much he can make already on his own) that mikoto also had started teaching sasuke how to cook a little as well. this will come back later, which is why i mention it.

the common theme within all of these meals— all of mikoto’s dinners, her bento boxes, fugaku and itachi’s dango, and his feast for sasuke— they are all good, yummy food. they’re something you want to eat and hold inside you and cherish. they’re all made and/or given with care, thought, intention and love.

sasuke grew up eating a variety of good tasting and well made food.

after the massacre, though, he changes. sasuke has lost the love from his family, he doesn’t have it anymore. sasuke grew up with food being the indicator of love, and grew up with the dinner table being the centre of family and bonding. as a reaction to the loss of his family he couldn’t bare to keep storing that love inside him, food as a love language died with them. his family was now gone, and the thought of storing love (read: well made food) inside him after his family was killed was not in the question. after the loss of their love, the only thing he needed to focus on was catching up to itachi to kill him.

here we can see what foods sasuke favours post massacre. “sasuke’s every move is designed to make him stronger, he approaches his diet with equal intensity.” his diet has changed drastically. from being fed a large variety of yummy, well made food filled with love and care for him to enjoy eating, he goes to eating raw and bland food, anything just to get stronger quicker. you could argue that he just didn’t know how to cook, which i can’t say he didn’t, but as i stated before it seems very likely that mikoto started teaching the boys to cook from a very young age, added to the fact that sasuke intentionally only starts eating food for its nutrients and health benefit, it’s fair enough to infer that he can cook at least some meals that he used to eat, he just can’t bare to anymore.

“he never selects his meals based on what he actually likes.” we look to his favourite foods to eat and they’re broken down into their health factors. this kid, reportedly, is known to be eating raw tomatoes simply because he wants to get stronger as fast as possible. he does not like the taste of what he is eating. he does not eat food with the intention of enjoying it’s creation. with the loss of his family he lost the will to store himself with love (this is not to say he does not still have love, he has been stored with love all his life, he is an uchiha, he will always be motivated by love), he couldn’t bare to continue consuming love filled food so he ate food solely to get stronger. food made with no care, thought, intention, or love. the love of his family haunts him. this is beside the point but i can’t even begin to express how heart breaking that is. the uchiha show their love with food and sasuke stops eating food created with love once he loses his family, all the love he had.

sasuke, isolated, left all alone in this village with no friends spent his time from 7 to 12 years old avoiding the love of food. but when he finally finds someone to create a bond with, what does he do?

he offers naruto food. despite what he says, this an olive branch to start forming a bond with naruto. this is him extending care with the intention of filling naruto so that he doesn’t go hungry. whether the food was made with love or care doesn’t matter because at that moment sasuke put the intention into the food. it’s how he creates bonds, it’s how he shows care and how he shows love because that was how he was raised, he was raised to bond over food, to show care and to love with food.

the uchiha’s love has always revolved around food and it’s woven so into the text that at this point it’s not even a head canon to me, but fact.

#and i know it's silly but not to even get into how the egg ova ties right into this as well.. needing the perfect egg to feed to his brother #ANWAYSSSS #all that to end it off with sns propaganda……….. LOLOL #i’m not joking with that last part tho.. it’s important and vital to the beginning of bonding #and it started with food #thank you for asking though and welcome to my twisted mind #there’s no way you were expecting (or likely even wanting lol) all this but….. the uchihas love thru food means so much to me #i'm *really* passionate about it and i don’t know how to express it in a concise way #i hope you at least enjoy reading this #the way that i wasn't even trying to write a lot but this literally became a meta #lmao #naruto #meta #jitter bugs u

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haunted-xander · 4 months

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Our eternal punishment

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rainbowserenity · 6 months

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“So what if I broke my arm I’m still doing it.” for Clack? (Cloud/Zack, is that their ship name?)

It was really such a shame that duty came first. Maybe if he'd learned to slack off a little more, he wouldn't be in this predicament. Not that it actually was one, since he had no intention of changing his plans. The show must go on! Too late, Zack realized he'd said that last bit out loud. Thankfully, it didn't really matter since the only person who'd heard him was Kunsel. Un-thankfully, Kunsel was a lot more levelheaded and always the first to point out when Zack was about to do something stupid. "I think you need to hit up the medic ward first, man. You don't look so hot." "I'm always hot. At least according to my fan club."

"Har, har." It was obvious Kunsel was rolling his eyes under the helmet. Maybe that was why he always kept it on, so Zack wouldn't see him constantly looking exasperated. "Seriously though, that fight with the Behemoth really messed you up. I know you're a 1st, but you don't constantly have to throw yourself in front of us little people." "That's exactly what it means." Zack winced as he accidentally jostled his arm. "Fine, fine. But you still look like shit. Just tell him that you need to postpone your little shindig. If he really likes you like you keep going on about, then he won't mind." Zack jumped up, ignoring the surge of pain in his arm. "No way, man! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get up the guts to ask him out? Not to mention find a night we were both free?!" He flailed around a little with his good arm. "So what if I broke my arm? I'm still doing it!" Kunsel rolled his eyes again. Obviously it was hidden, but Zack just knew. "You're such an idiot sometimes." "Huh?" "You're a 1st. This guy's a cadet, right?" A goofy little grin formed on Zack's face. "Yeah." "So just rearrange his schedule so that he so happens to have a night off the same time you do." Zack opened his mouth to argue, but snapped it shut when he realized that his friend was...absolutely brilliant. "Heyyy, good idea!" His good arm slung around Kunsel's shoulder. "What would I do without you?" "Probably lose an arm." Kunsel chuckled and gently nudged Zack away. "Now call the guy and get your ass down to medic before I have to drag you." "Yeah, yeah." Kunsel only left when Zack actually picked up his phone, proving he wasn't going to do anything stupid and stand around much longer with a broken arm. He quickly dialed the number that was now as familiar to him as his own, his heart thudding uncharacteristically fast as it rang once...twice... "Hello?" His chest fluttered, his smile widened, and butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He allowed himself to swoon for a second, glad that no one was around to see him act like a fool. That was how Cloud's voice made him feel. "Hey Spike," he greeted. "Zack?" Even though Cloud was one of the shyest, quietest people he'd ever met, there was always a little lilt to his voice whenever they spoke, like Cloud was still amazed that Zack had taken an interest in him. It made the butterflies in Zack's stomach have little caterpillar babies and flutter some more. "Got it in one!" He grinned, only the jolt of pain that shot up his arm when he tried to switch his phone to the other hand reminding him why he'd actually called. "I'm really, really sorry, but I have to cancel our date tonight." There was silence on the other end for a good thirty seconds. Zack wasn't actually sure if it was because Cloud was disappointed, or that he'd actually referred to their little get-together as a date. "Want to have dinner this weekend? Maybe get out of Midgar for a little while?"

"...With me?"

"Yeah, you. I like you a lot, y'know." "...How come?" Cloud finally asked in a small voice, breaking Zack out of his daydreams. "I had this mission earlier today, right?" At Cloud's hum in acknowledgement, Zack continued, "It was mostly just supposed to be me observing, but then this Behemoth charged in outta nowhere. I had to step in." "What happened?" "We got it without any causalities, but it really hated me." He laughed a little. "It swiped me away like I was nothing and I slammed into a wall. My arm's broken."

There were a couple of beats of silence as Cloud let this sink in. "Oh. Okay, then. I guess you need to rest, right?" "Once I go down to medic, yeah." "What?" Cloud's disappointment seemed to immediately melt into concern. "You haven't gotten it checked out yet? How long have you been back? You said your mission was this morning!" "It was," Zack admitted with a sheepish chuckle. "I've been back for a few hours." "Why?!" "I..." Zack trailed off a little. He felt a bit like a fool for admitting this, but he liked Cloud an awful lot and had really been looking forward to their date. Dinner at a nice place, maybe a movie, walking along the fields outside of Midgar and stargazing... Finally, he let out a wistful little sigh. "I just really didn't want to miss out on being with you, my arm be damned." Cloud was quiet for a long moment, and Zack would've thought he'd hung up if not for the shaky little breaths in the receiver. Finally, though, there was a reply. "Does the medic ward allow visitors this late?" It was by far one of the last things Zack expected to hear. "Huh?"

"I mean..." Now Cloud sounded hesitant. "I know you're in SOLDIER, so it's probably not a big deal for you to get fixed up. And it's probably not what you planned for our....date." He paused. "But at least if I came to visit, we could be together for a while. If you want." "Of course I do!" Zack blurted out. Cloud was right - this was a far cry from what he'd wanted to do, but as long as they were together, that was really all that mattered. "Meet me at medic, okay? They usually like to keep me under observation for a few hours to make sure the mako's not doing anything weird." "Okay." Zack could hear the smile in Cloud's voice and he just about melted. "I'll meet you there." "Perfect." After he hung up, Zack just leaned against the wall with a goofy little grin on his face, staring into space. Visions of the medic doing something painful that would make Cloud want to grab his hand swam in mind. He ignored the logical part of his brain that reminded him that he'd had a high pain tolerance even before making SOLDIER. As he headed down to the medic ward, he remember Kunsel's advice and mentally went over his calendar. He was pretty sure he had next Friday off...and now, Cloud would too. And this time, he'd make sure no broken limbs got in the way.

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happyheidi · 1 year

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Thank you @themoonspiritismylover for tagging me to put up the first 8 pics that show up on Pinterest ♡

I’m tagging @earthscent @almondfae @learnelle @etherea1ity @cornbreadlesbian @grumpytrans @ladyofthestayingpower @ladyrue @bakwaaas @thethirtyproject444 @kinseyscottage @strrawberrryjam @firesidecottage @cheruib @8rujaa @venus-born @nikswonderland @lionfloss @livimocha @jemstarearrings @tinkercatt and since I know I’ve forgotten a lot of ppl, I tag each and every Pinterest-having person <3

#I’m really feeling the last 4 lolol they actually kinda fit really well together!#cottagecore #nature #naturecore #flowers #flowercore #warmcore #tag game #pinterest #forest #forestcore #cats #kittens #cows #calfs #animals #farmcore

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meownotgood · 1 year

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my custom pins for my aki itabag are here.......

#they're so sparkly and cute help #I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL EVEN BE ABLE TO FIT ALL OF THEM IN MY BAG #I'm running out of space for pins lolol #the heart shaped ones........ I screaming #they're all really good and well made like I was impressed with the quality #I will def order more #the I heart my girlfriend one is my favorite for sure LOL #I'll have to post an updated picture of my itabag soon #aki <3

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asleepinawell · 9 months

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I...uhh...hmmmm....

#ffxivmp #6.45 spoilers #ffxiv spoilers #mp #well I did say I hoped you got a really cursed mount #ffxiv #mount rokkon #your other reward is unlocking hancock's tragic backstory lolol #also the 6.X patches are really all about the wol letting people keep cursed artifacts huh #no way that'll come back to bite us in the ass

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pinkwhalepjs · 2 years

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Class Conflict in ACoFaF (& Wuuvy)

I doubt this narrative will actually go anywhere in ACoFaF but interestingly, just like the Austin novels the season is based around, there is a larger conflict than just the injustice of the Court system at play here and that is the injustice of classism. However the Court system is vilified because it stands as an Obstacle to our Heroes desires for expression and romances, whereas the class system is taken for granted and played for laughs. This is not a critique of Aabria or the season just as an interesting thing that is mirrored from the original genre and I think really shows in how the audience comes to see Wuuvy.

Some Courts hoarding power in the form of Magic is the evil meant to be defeated at the end of the story. It clearly hurts our Heroes by cutting them off from loved ones and eliminating the members of Binx’s court. It also stands as a mirror to the hoarding of Love that all of the heroes struggle with. That their respective Courts or families withhold love based on preconditions of behavior or achievement or assimilation (Binx being the exception of course).

But the actual unfairness of the system they exist in goes largely unaddressed. From the salt goblins who are expected to live their whole tiny lives in service to their superiors and die on command, to the servants Lord Airavis polymorphs and maims for laughs, to Gobble begging for his life while forced to dance, even to Andhera’s dog who is sentient, all (with the notable exception of Binx who goes out of her way to respect servants from Andhera’s dog to Lady Featherfowl’s penguin messenger) enjoy their time at the expense of those below them. This includes Rue, who uses a Command spell on Wuuvy who up to that point happily obeyed their commands and never truly apologizes or addressed the gulf between them. This is a defining moment for Wuuvy. She was happy to serve as a friend and equal and although she continues her devotion to Rue, from that point on she must understand that Rue does not see her as quite such an equal.

But we are not especially meant to feel sympathy for the lower class characters. They are either set pieces or worse, Obstacles and Antagonists for our Heroes to overcome. Wuuvy not delivering the letter to Hob is naturally seen in a villainous light because the story is about the Romance between our Heroes. However isn’t it incredibly fair for Wuuvy to lash out in the only ways that she is able. The line between her and Hob is incredible thin. Both are military leaders of lower station who see Rue’s hidden conflict and admire them ardently. They are both beastly and duty bound. Yet Rue is enamored with Hob after meeting him once and sees Wuuvy only as a friend (or servant) despite (or because of) knowing her for decades. Wuuvy demands satisfaction and does not deliver the letter not because she thinks it will make Rue change their mind or fall in love with her instead, but she has simply had too much indignity to bear. She will not deliver up her own hopes and dreams to another with a smile on her face. That is a step too far. Yet in the end it is Rue’s feeling of betrayal that the story will follow and not Wuuvy’s revelation that she could spend her life knowing every little detail about a person and they could still not understand the most important truths about her.

Again this is not a criticism of the show, and it would be phenomenal if in fact this did arise as an canonical plotline/issue, it just fascinates me that the same phenomenon I find in Austen novels replicates itself here. Characters may actively talk about the oppression of their own station (Elizabeth in P&P or Hob in the show) and yet still happily take part in enforcing the class system. They will be allowed to rise above their own station for the sake of Romance but the stations themselves will remain.

#acofaf #wuuvy #ive become insane #i had flashbacks to writing as essay in ap lit about why i didnt like p&p #i actually love this show so mu #it makes me crazy #d20 #dimension 20 #it perfectly captures the genre #really the best of the genre too #i could write a whole other essay about how well it captures neurodivergence #i have never seen a show where the main enemy seems to be forced behavioral assimilation to blatantly in respect to autism #i started to realize that i was disliking wuuvy even though im kind of exactly like her in many many ways #and it was because in her place i would have delivered the letter and lived in misery all my days #shes actually the one making the rational choice lolol #more things to address with my therapist

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