#I can’t stand her nor the people who defend her | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

astralisbelle · 1 year

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Dead Man's Hand 3 - I Need You

Dead Man's Hand Masterlist tags: tags: engineer!reader, gambler!reader, loose canon timeline, eventual smut, fluff, action, casino aesthetics, touch starved reader, touch starved din, reader and din get on each other’s nerves, also they’re idiots, defrosting ice king din, cinderella vibes, everybody loves grogu

chapter summary: Mando returns to Tatooine to recruit the only person for the job.

The apprentice sifts through the new junk that the Jawas brought earlier that day, inspecting each piece of scrap and spare part. By far, the worst way to spend a day in her opinion.

Though, she knows that she should be grateful to Peli for sticking her neck out for her and saving her. Safety means passing the hours doing boring things like counting the grooves on each gear and pulling apart a compressor. The last time she really felt stimulated enough was working on the Razor Crest…

The faraway whistling of an incoming ship hit her ears. Another customer? Standing up from her spot, she stepped out towards the landing platform where Peli waits. Immediately, her mentor gives a light smack to her arm. “What did you do to Mando’s ship?”

“Ow! I fixed it!”

“Then why is he coming back?” She points up.

“What?” No, that’s impossible. She fixed it to perfection, that much she is certain of. Why is he back? Unfortunately for Peli, her rookie has a way with words. “Maybe he’s here to ask you on a date.”

Peli smacks her again, but this time elicits a snicker instead. “You better hope he’s not here to complain.”

“For his sake, he better not be.” She is prepared to defend her work if necessary. Besides, the Mandalorian seems like the type who might not appreciate such expertise. The two women wait for the Crest to touch down and for her hatches to open. Shuffling down the best he can, Grogu extends his arms towards Peli, who welcomes him.

“Hey, kiddo! Did you miss me that much?” she asks, bending over to pick him up. Following behind him is the Mandalorian, a swiftness in his stride.

“What brings you?” asks the apprentice. “Not satisfied with my work?”

“Ship’s fine,” he answers.

Oh. Good. She closes her jaw, seeing no need for any bark. Stars, what if she was right?

“Oh, that’s good,” says Peli. “So what brings you? Oh! You got a job in the area? Want us to babysit the little one?”

“Not exactly. I need the girl.”

“I told you, I’m not – wait, what?”

The Mandalorian crosses his arms. “How good are you at sabacc?”

She narrows her eyes at him, wondering just what in the galaxy was he thinking with a statement like that. Usually, she's pretty good at reading people, but his helmet complicates things. “...What do you know about that?”

“Peli tells me you were caught cheating.”

“I didn’t cheat! I don’t cheat!” She places herself between him and Peli, wanting him to see the full brunt of her expression. “I explained this to my employer already. I. Don’t. Cheat. I’m not light fingered nor do I use cheaters.”

“Then why did they accuse you?”

“Because I was winning too much.” She shrugs. “It’s not that hard.”

“So you’re lucky?”

She rolls her eyes. “That’s adorable. Luck only takes you so far.”

“What do you mean?”

She bites down on her bottom lip, glancing back to Peli for a brief moment, who simply shrugs. Turning back to the Mandalorian, she crosses her arms. “Is there a point to all of this?”

“Yes.”

Peli nods. “Alright, you two. Let’s sit down and talk about this like adults. Isn’t that right, little one?” she says, cooing at him as she leads them to a table with chairs. Once everyone is settled and Grogu is given a little snack to occupy him, the Mandalorian explains it all.

“There’s a sabacc tournament in Canto Bight. The grand prize is five ingots of beskar, the metal of my people. I have to get it back for them.”

The girl leans back in her chair. “So, you’re looking for tips? I guess I could try to teach you.”

“I can’t enter the tournament. It would require me to remove my helmet, so I’m looking for someone to stand in for me. Someone I can trust.”

Peli gives a single, loud, “hah!” She slaps the table. “What? Don’t tell me you want to enter this one.”

She nearly falls out of her chair. For a street urchin on Tatooine, the thought of leaving and going somewhere as glamorous as Canto Bight was nothing more than a dream, a fantasy. Then she looks down at herself, in dirty clothes and covered in sand and dust, smelling of metals and gas. The thought of being among the rich and beautiful looking like this is… intimidating to say the least.

“What if I did?” he says.

“You sure? She cheats.”

“I do not cheat!” She slams her hand on the table. “I count!”

The Mandalorian tilts his head. “Count?”

Of course they wouldn’t get it. Neither of them play this game like she does. “Okay, see if you can follow this. A deck has seventy-six cards, right? Sixty regulars, sixteen specials like The Star and The Evil One. All I do is keep track of where that card is or could be through process of elimination and probability.”

“Wait.” The Mandalorian leans forward. “You’re telling me you can keep track of an entire deck of cards? In your head?” He sounds… impressed, actually, from the little she can gleam from his modulated voice.

“I-It’s not much different than keeping ship schematics in your head.” She shrugs, trying to play it cool. “See? It’s not cheating.”

“Huh.” He sits back. “I guess it’s not.”

Peli glances between the two. “Hey, hey, wait a minute! You’re not seriously thinking of taking her, are you?”

He couldn’t be, no way. “Why not?” he responds.

She laughs at him. “Have you seen me? I-I don’t exactly look like someone who should be walking around Canto Bight unless I’m fixing the heat. Besides, those tournaments have a ridiculous buy-in, don’t they?”

“I have the credits for the buy-in.”

She gulps. "And this?” she gestures to herself.

“We can buy new clothes there.”

Is he serious? “Wait, wait, wait.” She holds up her hand. “What’s in it for me?”

“Yeah, and for me?” asks Peli. “She’s my responsibility, remember?”

“I understand that any credits you win in the tournament are yours to keep,” he says. “I don’t need them. Just the beskar. And you can take a percentage of her winnings. How’s that?”

The women glance at each other slowly, the air silent other than Grogu’s soft sounds. “Fifty percent,” says Peli.

“No way. Ten.”

“Forty.”

“Twenty.”

“Thirty-five.”

“Twenty-five, final offer.”

“Fine!”

Grogu claps his hands together and smiles.

The Mandalorian stands up. “How soon can you leave?”

“How soon can I… oh.” Yes, she would have to leave to go to the tournament, wouldn’t she? Leave Tatooine for the first time in her life. Years spent looking at the stars, watching ships coming and going, and now it is finally her turn. Ah, but this trip did not come cheap.

She stares into the black of the Mandalorian’s visor, trying to guess how he looks underneath. Does he peer at her, scrutinizing her behind the safety of his helmet? Or maybe, is he smiling out of gratitude? Either could be true, but she would never know.

It only takes her a couple of minutes to gather a small pack of belongings – it isn’t as if she has a lot to begin with. Just trinkets and personal essentials.

“Bring her back in one piece!” says Peli. She waves with the droids, granting her a much needed smile.

“I will.” He ushers her into the Razor Crest, a gloved hand pushing against her back. He has a rough touch fitting for a bounty hunter, clearly impatient. When they sit down in the cockpit, he says nothing else to her while he fires up the Razor Crest, no words of gratitude or anything of the sort.

He is as cold as the armor he dons.

I know I’m here because he needed someone he could trust… but can I trust him?

If she couldn’t, then she knew she shouldn’t be going to Canto Bight of all places. Too late to turn back now.

#din djarin #din djarin x reader #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian #the mandalorian fanfic #work: dead man's hand #finally get some reader and din woooooooooooo

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haknom · 1 year

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bad news! 🎙️ — eleven: welcome to ditto!

warnings: mentions of food, nothing else! wordcount: 1009 words

The weather outside was pleasing; it wasn’t too hot nor was it too cold. It was perfect. That’s the only reason why you weren’t stressing out because of Sunghoon being late to the library. The clock on your phone screen read 4:07 PM. He was only late by 7 minutes, if it did reach 10 you would leave.

You stood near a bench, still in your school uniform. Legs tired out from standing, you decided it wouldn’t hurt to sit down for a bit, right? You approached the bench nearby, removing your backpack while you took a seat.

People from different age groups walked in the area in front, surrounding you with chatter and footsteps. “Y/n,” a voice from nearby called out followed by pants. You looked around to find who the voice belonged to, making eye contact with the out-of-breath boy.

“I told you not to be late,” you stood up from your seat while swinging your backpack on your shoulders. His hands were placed on his knees and his backpack slipped off one of his shoulders as he attempted to catch his breath. “My bad, the bus was late.” He said, squinting his eyes to look at you where the sun also shined.

“Whatever, let’s go inside.” You walked towards the entrance of the library while Sunghoon trailed behind you.

–

The atmosphere in the library was quiet. The sound of typing, carts being pushed, and page flipping filled most of the silence. You and Sunghoon have been walking around the library for at least 3 minutes now and still haven’t found an empty seat. “I don’t think there are any seats available.” He whispered from behind you as you abruptly stopped walking, causing him to stumble.

“Do you have any other places in mind? We can’t work here.” You whispered while turning around to face him. “Uh, there’s a coffee shop down the street? That could work..” He whispered, avoiding eye contact with you. You nodded your head side to side in thought; it is nearby but it may be quite loud. It’ll still work for now.

“Okay, let’s go there then.” You agreed as Sunghoon led the way.

–

The cafe was quite empty. There weren’t many customers besides those who stayed behind to study.

“Here, let’s sit.” He suggested, pointing at the table outdoors. You two took a seat, hanging your backpacks on the back of your chairs. You both took out the needed materials for tutoring and placed them on the surface. Not after long, Sunghoon rose from his seat, pulling out his phone from his back pocket.

“What are you doing?” You questioned as your eyes followed his movements. “I’m just taking a photo of this, I need to show everyone that I’m a good student. You know?” You rolled your eyes at his sarcastic words as the camera shutter went off. “Done?” He nodded while taking his seat again.

You’d move around some papers with a sigh, “Which subject should we start with?” You asked, waiting for his response. “Wait, don’t answer that. What are your classes this semester?” He looked up from his phone after examining the photo he took earlier.

“Ah, Math, History, English… Oh, and Art!” He’d count the four classes on his fingers as you halted your movements. “You’re failing Art..?” You looked at him in disbelief as he nodded slowly. “It’s a hard subject, alright? Not everyone is good at Art..” He defended, looking around.

“Well, whatever. Let’s start with English.” You suggested while pulling out some worksheets from class.

Inside the coffee shop, the sound of dishes clanking, coffee being poured into cups, and the brewing of the coffee. The hand cramps she got from wiping down the front counters were painful. “Just one more spot and I’ll be done,” is what motivated her to keep going.

The chime from the door caused her head to shoot up and look directly at the customer who walked through. “Hi, welcome to Ditto!” She cheered with a smile, pushing the rag to the side. “What can I get for you today?” The customer's eyes scanned the menu above her while she tapped the cash register with her index finger to a rhythm in her head.

“Could I get a small latte?” They asked as she nodded, pressing the keys on the cash register. “Is that all I could get you for today?” She questioned while looking up from the cash register. The customer nodded, pulling out their wallet. “Okay, your total comes up to $2.33. The final amount is $2.30.” She said as she waited for the cash.

“Here you go,” they handed her the money as she took it, placing it into the cash register. “I’ll call your order out, you can have a seat now.” She smiled as they walked away. Her smile slowly faded as she headed over to continue cleaning the counters. She paused midway, noticing a familiar figure outside the window. It looked like you and somebody else but she couldn’t place her tongue on it.

Were you with a guy..? Jeon Y/n with a guy? That’s a first. She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at the boy who sat in front of you but his back faced the window. He did seem to be wearing the male uniform at Decelis, so he must’ve gone to our school.

Was it Soobin? The two of you were always together, there was a chance. Nah, he wasn’t that short when sitting. Okay, maybe it was Eric? Couldn’t be him either. He currently had blonde hair and the male in front of you had a dark-brown shade. This would be ha–

“Minhee, please come to the back.” Her manager called, pulling her away from her thoughts. “Coming!” She responded, leaving the rag behind as she went through the door that said ‘EMPLOYEES ONLY’ with a small star beside it.

The only thoughts flowing through her head were, “Who was that boy?” and “Why were you with him?”. But then it hit her, it was Park Sunghoon. The playboy of Decelis.

➴ chapter eleven : welcome to ditto!

previous // next // mlist ✩

authors note: new characters unlocked 🤞how r we feeling???

taglist: @ox1-lovesick @fragileanti @zeraaax @jeonncafe @hafsa-hoofsa-heefs @bwljules @babystrlla @annoyingbitch83 @abdiitcryy @jiawji @diestheticu @s4turnsl0ver @ahnneyong @redm4ri @itsactuallylina @yenqa @hanniluvi @imhuh @hykai @soov @viagumi @trsrina @wonyoungsvirus @chaewon-slays @ilovewonyo @sd211 @beomsbeanie @jeongintwt @noiacha @blossomnct @sserafimez @xuimhao @adajoemaya @dreama-little-dreamof-me @enhaz1 @ckline35 @twentycubesoup (send an ask or reply to any bad news post to be added!)

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cleoluvrr · 1 year

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The Last Days of Summer VI (Rafe Cameron x Heyward!OC)

Warnings: violence, underage drinking, drug use, verbal abuse, jealousy, forbidden relationship, enemies to lovers, gaslighting + manipulation

Synopsis: Stuck in a situation she never dreamed of, Neriah Heyward blurs the line between Kook and Pogue; Rafe Cameron a witness.

masterlist

word count: 4.8k+

↠━ღ◆ღ━↞

Rafe ditched me sometime that night, leaving the party to run off with Kelce and Topper.

I didn’t complain, actually very relieved that I didn’t have to pretend in front of his family, nor keep my head on a swivel to make sure he didn’t catch me alone again. Londyn and I left eventually as well, opting to go back to her house for the night. We were beat, the long day leaving us essentially useless. We fell asleep almost immediately after arriving, barely staying awake long enough to get ready for bed.

His sudden confession filled my mind for the rest of the night, brain struggling to understand where any of it came from. How did he know all of those things about me? Why did he wait so long to say anything? Why did he think I would suddenly fall into his arms and accept his so gracefully?

I left early the next morning, my father calling me home as some sort of punishment for my brother running off last night. I didn’t argue with him, bidding my farewells to the Woods’ before getting in the car Londyn’s mom ordered for me.

I didn’t get a moment to myself when I stepped foot into the shop. My father immediately sent me to work, ordering me to deliver groceries to people in town. I rode around Kildare on my dad’s boat with everyone’s orders, the deliveries were seemingly endless. Eventually I arrive at Kie’s parent’s restaurant, The Wreck.

I hop out of the boat with groceries in hand, dragging my feet towards the entrance. I enter the shop, tempted to just leave the groceries by the door and leave, and spot my brother and his friends gathered at a table nearby.

“And where the hell did you go last night?” I say, grabbing everyone’s attention. “I had to face the wrath of our dear father this morning, no thanks to you.” I cut my eyes at JJ as well, who sheepishly rubs the back of his neck.

“You don’t get to be mad at me, Riah.” Pope rolls his eyes at me. “You went to that thing with Rafe Cameron. If anything I should be the pissed one here. Matter of fact, I think I am.”

“I’m so sorry that you have no idea how to fight back against some bullies, and your sister had to step in to save your weak behind. Twice.” I set the groceries down on the counter before walking over to the table, crossing my arms across my chest as I stand in front of my body.

“I didn’t ask your dumb ass to do that. Now we’re both in deep shit.” He says. I scoff.

“I’m sorry that I risked everything I’ve worked for to defend your honor.” I continued. “I had absolutely no idea that almost sacrificing my scholarship and risking jail time was not worth defending your ungrateful ass. I’m sorry that you have a poor choice in friends that just can’t seem to stop committing crimes.”

“Don’t talk about them like they’re not there.” Pope says, actually looking up at me now. He looks more than a little irritated, his jaw clenching as he speaks. “Do you think you’re better than me because you hang out with Kooks?”

“No, of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.” I laugh dryly. “I just think you’re an idiot because you destroyed a thirty-thousand-dollar piece of property, no thanks to JJ once again, had some white boys posted outside of our house trying to intimidate us, and almost got arrested. You’re lucky JJ is a good friend or else your ass would be fried.”

“Thanks?” JJ says, not sure if I was giving him a compliment or insulting him.

“Didn’t you beat Rafe Cameron with a golf club? How is that any better than what I did?” He stands up, getting in my face.

“Because I’m not the one running around Kildare getting into bullshit everyday! That’s you!” I shout, shoving at his chest. Kiara moves to get in between us, but Pope doesn’t move. He just stares back at me just as angrily as I do him.

“Okay, I think you need to chill.” John B says to me.

“Shut up, John B.” Pope and I say in unison. The boy raises his hands in defense.

“Clearly none of you are talking sense into him, so I guess I have to.” I look around at the rest of the group, all of them avoiding eye contact with me.

“I make my own decisions, Neriah.” Pope mumbles, sitting back down in his chair.

“Well they aren’t smart ones.” I knock Kie’s hand off my shoulder. “There are people that care about you, Pope. More than the people in this room and you seem to forget that. Or maybe you just don’t give a damn.”

With that I walk away, making my way towards the door. The restaurant is silent for a moment, everyone taking in what I just said.

“We care about him just as much as you do.” JJ says, briskly walking up to me before I can get to the door. I chuckle humorlessly, giving the blonde a tight-lipped smile.

“Then act like it.” I say, pushing the heavy door open. His eyes shift down to my neck, widening slightly as they catch mine again.

“What happened to your neck?” He inquires, voice low enough for only me to hear. He reaches up to touch it but I push his hand away, zipping up my jacket all the way and ignoring his concerned eyes.

“See you at home. Or not.” I give my brother a final glance before turning away.

With that, I exit the shop and go back to our dad’s boat. I drive down the marsh, not looking back at the building despite feeling all of their eyes on me.

Pope never came home that night.

My parents waited for him for a while, but they went to bed sometime after one in the morning. I went to bed as well, knowing better than to expect anything different from my brother. He still wasn’t there in the morning when I woke up, the sun high in the sky and no Pope in sight.

Londyn and I decided to waste the day together, meeting Brye on the way. The two of them could sense my poor mood the minute they set eyes on me. The entire time they tried to cheer me up. After an hour of gossip and cracking bad jokes I’d finally had enough.

“You guys know better than to think telling terrible jokes is going to make me feel any better.” I finally speak after spending the past hour moping to myself in silence.

“We knew that at some point you’d get annoyed enough to finally say something. Which you did!” Brye says, nudging me obnoxiously. I roll my eyes, standing up from my seat.

“I’m going to the bathroom.” I mumble as I walk away.

I wash my hands in the bathroom, watching myself in the mirror above the sink. The bruise on my neck has only gotten worse, the dark purple splotches peeking out of the top of my shirt. I’m visibly tense, my eyebrows furrowed and jaw clenched unconsciously. My teeth have started to ache from the unintentional grinding.

I shut off the water, gripping the sides of the sink as I take a deep breath.

My brother and I each have our own lives. Very opposite lives. He would never do the things I do and I would never do the things I do. He’d sooner walk barefoot across broken glass before hanging out on Figure 8 willingly to be quite frank, which I understand. But sometimes I wish he would be more responsible. He actually has a future off of this island, but he never thinks of how easily that opportunity could be lost.

I have nothing again against his friends. I think Kie so desperately wants to defy her parents in any way she can, John B has a lack of true authority figures to guide him, and JJ is a klepto with a penchant for violence and alcohol. But that doesn’t make them bad people. They’re always there for my brother, they’d do anything for them, and I could ask for nothing more.

Except for them to make sure he doesn’t do the same stupid shit they do.

I sigh deeply, stepping out of the bathroom after drying my hands. I keep my head down as I walk, mind busy with things I need to say to Pope the next time I see him. I almost don’t hear the person calling for my attention.

“Excuse me. Excuse me, girl!” An older white woman dressed rather tackily calls out. I look around, wondering who she’s speaking to and furrow my eyebrows in confusion when she waves me over. “God, are you people deaf or something?” She says annoyedly, looking me up and down.

“Excuse me?” I ask, puzzled.

“Refill my drink. And make sure it’s light ice this time.” She shoves her empty glass towards me. When I don’t take it she looks at me expectantly. “Hello? Can you hear me? I said to get me a drink.”

“I don’t work here.”

“Then what the hell are you doing here?” She looks me up and down in disgust. “I didn’t know they let your kind of people into the club.” The other women she’s seated with giggle, each of them picking me apart with their eyes.

“What do you mean by that?” Feeling quite offended, I scrunch my face up at her. “Actually, I don’t care.”

“Did you sneak in here? Do I need to call security?” She says, smirking as she prepares to wave the guard over.

“She’s with me.” A familiar voice sounds out, footsteps approaching behind me. “Is there a problem, Carolyn?”

“Oh!” She says, dropping her hand back into her lap with a nervous smile. “Of course not. I just-”

“You ladies have a good day.” The voice says before placing a warm hand on my back and leading me away.

As soon as we’re out of the women’s line of vision I shove the hand off me, backing away quickly. I shiver at the way Rafe looks at me, the view of him genuinely smiling at me making me feel uneasy. It seems like I run into him more and more as the days go by.

“What are you doing here?” I ask. He chuckles, shaking his head.

“You're welcome.”

“I didn’t need your help.” I cross my arms, pushing past him to go meet my friends again.

“It looked like you were about to be removed from the property to me.” Rafe says condescendingly.

“Maybe all the coke is affecting your vision too.” Before I can make it very far, the Cameron son grabs my bicep and pulls me back to him. I try to snatch my arm away, but he doesn’t loosen up. “Don’t touch me.”

“Y’know, you really should be more grateful.” He looks down at me, still holding my arm in his grip. “You would be in a very bad position without me.” I scoff.

“I’m already in a bad position.” Roughly pulling myself away from him, I squint my eyes at him. “Leave me the hell alone, Rafe. I’ve already done what you wanted, and whatever you want to happen between us is not happening.”

“I don’t know…” He hums, tilting his head. “My side hurts a bit. My leg too. Maybe you can kiss it better for me?” He walks towards me, pretending to limp. I shove him away from me and he laughs.

“Fuck off, Rafe. I’m not in the mood for you today.” His laughter dies down slowly, eyes falling below my jawline. The feeling of his heated stare on me all of sudden has me shifting from foot to foot nervously.

“Did I do that to you?” He asks, eyes still fixed on the large, finger shaped splotches of purple decorating my neck. I pull up the collar of my shirt in an attempt to cover my exposed skin. “Don’t cover it. I want to look.”

“Rafe. Do not piss me off right now.”

“I’m being serious.” He steps forward, reaching to lower my hand. “They look pretty on you.” I scoff, swiping his outreached hand away.

“You’re a dick.” I say as I storm away from him, hearing his laughter and feeling his gaze on my back as I retreat.

I make it to my friends after a short walk, ignoring their questions about what took me so long. We sat in the sun for a bit longer, drinking lemonade and talking about how sad we are about the summer coming to an end soon.

I watch Rafe in the distance, talking with Topper and Kelce. Topper looks quite distressed, arguing with his two friends for a moment while they try to calm him down. I haven’t seen him with Sarah since Midsummers, and even then they looked a bit distant. At least Sarah did. I wonder if that’s what has him so upset.

“Rafe Cameron!” A voice calls out.

We all snap our head in the direction of the sound. I spot a shorter man get out of a car and walk towards the gate very menacingly. I watch as Rafe and Topper approach him, the younger confused as the man confronts Rafe very aggressively.

“Who did he piss off this time?” Brye asks, watching the ordeal disinterestedly.

“Who hasn’t he pissed off?” Londyn adds, causing me to throw my head back in laughter.

“Am I just some little bitch?” The shorter man asks rather loudly. “Is that what your family looks at me like?”

Rafe tries to calm him down, looking around at the crowd that’s started to gather. He looks just as confused as the rest of us, as if he has no idea why the man he seems to be quite familiar with has shown up to confront him.

“Okay, so why is your little sister and her little surf rat friends running around stealing $25k out of my house?”

Sarah? Surf rat friends? Stealing?

Sarah Cameron wouldn’t pick a penny off the ground for good luck, what the hell does he mean she stole twenty-five-thousand dollars from him? Sarah Cameron has more money than anyone on this island. And what Pogues are running around with the Kook princess? The only Pogues Sarah has ever spoken to willingly are me and John B.

John B. Surf rat friends. Pogues. John B. Sarah. John B.

Shit.

The confrontation turns violent when Rafe puts a hand on the man’s shoulder. The man shoves him roughly, yelling something that I can’t make out. Topper steps in and breaks up the altercation, separating the two.

“Sort this shit out with your sister.” The brunette man says.

“Alright!” Rafe says panickedly.

“Imma get my money. If it’s not from you, it’s from her.” The man backs off, walking towards his car. “Remember that. I’ll see you boys around.”

Rafe and Topper talk for a minute, the two of them looking equally as stressed out. Everyone else has stopped watching, including my friends who have gone back to their previous conversation, but I keep my eyes on the two. Eventually the boys get on their bikes, pulling off quickly as their engines rev all the way down the street.

How deep are Pope Heyward and his friends?

“You stole twenty-five-thousand dollars from a drug dealer…and spent it all on a hot tub?” I yell angrily. “Have you lost your minds?”

“To be fair, it’s a nice hot tub.” JJ says. I look at him incredulously.

I came to JJ’s house the next day to find my brother and confront him about the things I overheard the day before. I nearly passed out when I saw the large jacuzzi sitting in JJ’s front yard, knowing that only he’d be irresponsible enough to buy something like that with stolen drug money.

“How did you even find out?” Pope asks.

“He was yelling at Rafe about how his baby sister was running around with some Pogues robbing people.” Pope looks even more confused, jumping out of his chair before coming up to me in the middle of the yard.

“You were hanging out with Rafe Cameron?” I scoff in disbelief at his audacity to be upset with me.

“No, I wasn’t hanging out with him, and even if I was, that’s not the point.” I push past him to go stand on JJ’s porch next to Kiara. She looks at me sheepishly and scratches her head. “There is a man out there, multiple men, that want your heads.”

“Neriah, don’t worry. We got this.” JJ says walking up to me. He tries setting a comforting hand on my shoulder but freezes midair when I give him a deathly look. He backs off with his hands raised, going back to what he was doing before.

I spent a while at his house, stressfully thinking about the trouble my brother can’t seem to stay out of. The rest of them return to whatever it was they were doing before I arrived. I watch as Pope lifts Kie into a tree with a large bucket, and JJ sits in the hot tub under the shade of the tree. I have multiple missed calls from Rafe, surely about my brother and his friends running around with Sarah.

I’m so deep in my thoughts that I almost don’t notice John B. The boy speeds past me into JJ’s house, the rest of the group following after him. I don’t go in, letting them handle whatever his problem is on his own.

I hear stuff clattering around and muffled voices through the door, but I pay it no mind.

“John B, what do you need the gun for?” I hear JJ raise his voice. I stand up immediately, entering the house.

I briefly see the brunette push my brother into the table, walking so fast out the door that I almost miss him. I follow everyone out the house, watching as they chase him down. He speeds off on his bike, disappearing down the dirt road. I don’t ask them what’s going on, this being something that must be deeply personal.

I leave shortly after that, the atmosphere far too tense for me to feel comfortable there.

I return home, locking myself up in my room for the rest of the day. I only come out to shower and grab food, leaving my parents to wallow in their misery alone. Pope hadn’t been home in three days, and while I’m used to it, I don’t think my parents ever stop worrying. I hope he’s smart enough to come home tonight considering he has a once in a lifetime scholarship interview in five hours.

My hopes come true when I hear the front door open.

“You waited up.” Pope says to my father. The man had been sleeping in the living room since the night his son left, waiting for his return.

“You left?” Heyward asks. “Because I hadn’t noticed.”

The air is silent for a moment, tension replacing the sound of voices. I turn over in bed, slipping on my earbuds to drown out the sound of a lecture. I watch my bedroom door open slowly after a few minutes, behind it a tired looking Pope.

We look at each other for a moment, neither of us saying a word. He looks down at the floor before backing out of my room and closing the door behind him.

“Goodnight.” I whisper into the darkness of my room.

My dad and brother leave together early in the morning, away to Pope’s interview before I’m awake to see them off. Our dad wouldn’t be back until later, saying that he had to handle some business at the airstrip for the Cameron’s.

Pope didn’t come back that night either.

I spent half of the next day roaming around the south side, something I hadn’t done in a while. It was very comforting to know that I wasn’t an outlier here. Nobody thought less of me because of how much money I did or didn’t have, I was just another person here.

It also distracted me from my parents slowly going insane from Pope’s blatant disrespect and irresponsibility.

The house felt stuffier than the sticky, summer air outside sometimes, the wedge between my brother and our parents growing larger as the days go by.

As I peruse around midtown I people watch, residents running errands and tourists looking around like this is the most interesting place they’ve ever been. I end up near the dock, the ferry bobbing in the water next to the wooden deck. Everyone buzzes around, colorful clothes a blur in front of me as I watch mindlessly.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot a familiar car. I turn towards the car, squinting at the vehicle parked across the street.

My eyes widen when I spot the people inside.

I storm towards the car, everyone inside distracted with a heated conversation.

“Pope. Heyward.” I say when I reach the open driver's side window, my voice dangerously calm.

Everyone’s head snaps towards me as the words leave my mouth. Pope runs his hands over his face, looking even more stressed than he did a moment ago. Everyone looks scared and anxious, tension in the car high.

“Hey, Riah…do you think you can save the lecture for another day?” JJ says, leaning out of his window to speak to me. “We really don’t have time for this.”

“Kiss my ass.” I cut my eyes at JJ wh retreats back into the car.

“Neriah, we really don’t have time. Seriously.” Pope sighs, looking at me irritably.

“Oh, you wanna talk about time? We can talk about time.” I smile at him tensely. “You know what I spent my time doing last night? Convincing our father not to throw your shit out on the street. I should’ve let him do it considering that’s where you’d rather be nowadays.”

“Neriah, please.” Kie says, looking out the window anxiously.

“Shut the fuck up. I’m talking.” I snap.

“Don’t talk to her like that!” Pope snaps as well, hitting his hands on the steering wheel. “What is your problem?”

“Not only did you vanish, again, you ran out on a once in a lifetime opportunity. To do what? Hang out in your friend's car smelling like dope?” I ask motioning at the car. “You have officially lost your rabid ass mind.”

Pope snatches a piece of paper out of Kiara’s hand and shoves it at me, the wrinkled paper hitting me in the chest. I snatch it away, smoothing it out before reading it.

My eyes widen, eyes raising to finally see John B hiding in the backseat next to JJ.

“This! This is why I’m with my friends right now!” Pope shouts at me. I stare at the picture of John B’s face and the bounty over his head in shock.

“Not only are you majorly irresponsible, you're harboring a fugitive?” I whisper the last part, not wanting anyone around to hear. “I should turn your ass in. Maybe then my brother will stop roaming the streets like he doesn’t have a home.” I say to John B.

“God, Neriah. You just don’t get it, do you?” My brother’s voice drips in frustration directed at me. I sigh, throwing the paper back into the car.

“No, I get it.” I back away from the car. “I’ll be sure to tell mom you aren’t dead. Now go, before somebody recognizes you. Fucking idiots…” I mumble as I briskly walk away from the car, silently praying that they come up with something.

#rafe cameron x kook!reader #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron #outer banks #obx imagine #obx1 #rafe cameron x reader #rafe cameron x oc #rafe cameron x pogue!reader #obx2 #outer banks fanfiction #drew starkey #rafe x y/n #rafe outer banks

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visorforavisor · 9 months

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warning: Good Omens series / season 2 spoilers

you have been warned

final warning okay thank you

(also Pride and Prejudice spoilers I guess if anyone still cares about that 210 years on)

·—·

they’re Pride and Prejudice, people! I’m telling you!

Aziraphale still holds onto his anti-Hell, pro-Heaven, anti-demon, pro-angel bias, his prejudice telling him that there is no “institutional problem”, that Crowley fell because he asked questions rather than because Heaven didn’t want questions asked.

Crowley refuses to let go of his pride in his identity (whether that be as one of the fallen, or as part of a side that is neither Heaven nor Hell), and go back to the Heaven that betrayed him, which he doesn’t trust not to ruin everything.

Aziraphale is Lizzy, Crowley is Darcy.

and, come on, we all know what happens in Chapter 34.

Darcy proposes to her. he talks about having tried to pretend the love is not real (“in vain I have struggled”), and asks Lizzy to marry him despite the fact that they come from two different factions who traditionally wouldn’t marry, and despite the fact that he knows she does not possess the same identity he is proud of in himself.

and Lizzy turns him down, because she’s prejudiced against Darcy’s type and this has influenced how and what she thinks about him specifically.

Darcy leaves this proposal feeling hurt, betrayed, and upset, while Lizzy is too confident that she is right in the core beliefs that influenced her decision. and they go away needing to work on themselves.

(is all of this sounding familiar?)

and then they meet again and fall in love and there’s a successful proposal etc etc.

Crowley’s pride in what he is won’t let him take Aziraphale at half quality, still part of Heaven; Aziraphale must be so exceptional as to transcend that restrictive category. an angel who would buy into that nonsense is not what Crowley stands for. he cares about people in his own, very small category: their side, which he thought included Aziraphale. those outside Crowley’s side are not to be ruining Crowley’s “precious, peaceful, fragile existence”.

meanwhile, Aziraphale’s prejudice presents him two options. either Crowley remains a demon which means he is bad, or Crowley becomes an angel again, which means he can be properly good. in the second case, Aziraphale can have him. Aziraphale can’t have Crowley if he’s bad, which he must be if he’s a demon.

there’s a subtle difference between the two.

Crowley’s tactic is more about self-preservation for his group (which would have included Aziraphale if Aziraphale’d agreed to dump Heaven for their side, just as Darcy’s remaining pride extends to protecting Lizzy when they are married (“Darcy could never receive him [Wickham] at Pemberley”)).

Aziraphale is being self-righteous for the good in the world (which he would have done for Crowley too if Crowley’d agreed to be an angel, just as Lizzy loses her shit at Darcy for not helping Wickham and all of his myriad other moral failings and then turns around and defends him once she’s convinced he’s good (“that [her dislike of him] is all to be forgot”)).

of course, this all might be an accident on the part of the writers, but then again….

Crowley and Aziraphale’s ideas to get Nina and Maggie together were sheltering from the rain, one fabulous kiss, and Pride and Prejudice.

Crowley and Aziraphale have already had their sheltering from the rain — twice, actually (at the end of the creation scene, and the end of the Eden scene). they have also had their kiss — no explanation needed.

this is their Pride and Prejudice, right down to Crowley (Darcy) protesting when a dance with Aziraphale (Lizzy) is suggested.

I could go into how Pride and Prejudice is in and of itself a Much Ado About Nothing retelling, but honestly that’s not particularly relevant, just cool. (do watch the David Tennant and Catherine Tate Much Ado, though.)

so, my hypothesis for the conclusion of a potential series 3 is as follows.

it will involve Crowley’s equivalent of “one word from you will silence me forever”: Aziraphale’s last chance to answer in the affirmative and be with him. Aziraphale will learn that Crowley is not bad simply for being a demon (I hope), and Crowley will realise Aziraphale should be let into his heart even if he wasn’t always on Crowley’s side (I hope).

Darcy / Crowley stops refusing to interact positively with anybody not in the little clique, and Lizzy / Aziraphale stops believing an entire group to be awful.

I don’t know if I have anything else coherent to say on this. something about how they have to accept the things they cannot change about the other and change the things the other cannot accept about them?

(also Gabriel could arguably be Wickham, given that Crowley tries to convince Aziraphale that Gabriel did a nasty thing and should be kept away from those he wants to keep safe but Aziraphale won’t believe Gabriel is a bad person because Gabriel isn’t one of the group he considers to be bad… I mean, it’s just their pride and their prejudice again isn’t it. whether we’re talking about Darcy, Lizzy, and Wickham, or Crowley, Aziraphale, and Gabriel.

I’m not going to follow that extension of the comparison too far, though, because I don’t think I can reasonably claim that Beelzebub is Lydia.)

concluision: I don’t care whether it’s Benedick and Beatrice, or Darcy and Lizzy, or Crowley and Aziraphale. I love all of their dynamics.

and we have amazing things to look forward to if we can convince the company to make series 3.

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throwawaydracula · 2 years

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A funny thing about Lucy Westenra is that the idea of her 'asking for it' vis-à-vis vampirism is so heavily ingrained into popular culture that even some of her defenders come to her defense specifically by saying 'well, it's not her fault Stoker was a sexually repressed slut-shaming Victorian'. Now, I am not going to deny at all that Stoker was a sexually repressed slut-shaming Victorian. Whatever was in his heart, that's more-or-less how he comported himself publicly, because that was the social norm. "You have shaken off the shackles and your wings are free. I have the shackles on my shoulders still — but I have no wings" is going to haunt me forever, but what we feel inside doesn't matter more than what we actually say and do publicly.

What I am going to argue against is the idea that Stoker thought Lucy was deserving of some kind of punishment, that the count's attacks were a moral consequence. I am going to argue that it's far more likely he thought of her as a kind of Anti-Dracula, an embodiment of delicate goodness standing against a rapacious evil, and tragically falling before it.

Thematically, it's easy enough to call her a foil to Dracula if we assume that the three vampire women were Dracula's brides. Presumably, they all suffered the same way Lucy did-- he took their blood slowly and agonizingly, and in doing so laid a claim on them. But this claim created no bond. Mocking of Dracula as they are, it's clear that any love between them has long since guttered out, even if he insists he did love them once. Was it ever real love in the first place, or was it only desire, the selfish wanting of another person, appetite misconstrued as affection?

In contrast, Lucy has her three suitors-- men she all loves, would all marry if she could. And all of them love her; Quincey might have said it was all in the past, but love isn't something you can turn off like a switch just by willing it away. Lucy didn't ask for any of their blood-- they all gave it willingly, out of love. I know it's easy to read the transfusions as a metaphor for sex, but I think love works a little better, here. Consider that Stoker was a Christian, and the far-reaching symbolism of the blood of Christ as infused with love, as something that can bring salvation. Even before he knew of the transfusion, Arthur was willing to give every drop of his blood to save Lucy.

Dracula has to take blood by force, and in doing so brings death and misery. Lucy's taking blood from her suitors by their own volition (indeed completely by their own volition, as she was too weak to ask) all brought them a measure of comfort-- this was something they could do for her to help her, to try to win life for her. There is no selfishness on their part, nor on Lucy's part. And in the same way that Lucy is a potential fourth 'bride', Van Helsing shares the devotion to Lucy along with the three suitors.

Now, the crux of assuming Stoker thought Lucy needed to be 'punished' rests on this line:

Why can’t they let a girl marry three men, or as many as want her, and save all this trouble? But this is heresy, and I must not say it.

As some people have noted, this does come across as more risqué to the Victorians than it would to a modern audience. At the same time, it's important to remember all Lucy has done is share a furtive little wish at this point, and even condemned it herself. The Victorians were extreme moralists, and I'm sure you could find people at the time who would say Lucy deserved some kind of punishment for this thought. You could probably even find a few who wouldn't say slow death by vampire was hideously disproportionate. But Stoker's treatment of Lucy is always as a sweet, gentle, loving and lovely person who is being brutalized by a monster. When it came to imparting moral lessons, the Victorians were not subtle people, and yet Lucy is never explicitly portrayed as deserving anything that happens to her.

Note also Lucy's use of the word 'heresy', because in this specific book that doesn't come across as damning as it otherwise might. Remember, Stoker was a 19th century Church of Ireland Anglican. From his perspective (and indeed the English characters' perspective), the Roman Catholic Van Helsing is a heretic. The presumably Russian Orthodox captain of the Demeter was a heretic. Sister Agatha is a heretic. The villagers who gave Jonathan all the anti-vampire gear including the crucifix were heretics. This book is absolutely full of good, morally upstanding heretics. Bram Stoker was rather strikingly heretic-positive for his time and place.

As I said in the beginning, part of the issue here is the pop culture image of Lucy. In the 1931 version with Bela Lugosi, Lucy takes an interest in Dracula-- and dies for it. In the 1958 version with Christopher Lee, she actually hops out on her balcony and bears her throat to him, also consciously gets rid of her garlic-- and dies for it. In the 1992 version with Gary Oldman... god I don't even know where to start with that one. I do like that movie, I'm not bashing it (or not all of it) but... well, let's say it's not terribly subtle when it comes to how we're supposed to read Lucy's situation. I could go on, but there are a lot of adaptations.

In short: I don't think Stoker wanting his audience to come away from this thinking "Well, that's what happens to girls who think dirty thoughts". I think he wanted us to feel all the pain of losing a kind, loving human being. I think he wanted us to hate Dracula for essentially torturing her to death. Again, with Lucy the symbolism of blood loss is completely reversed-- she is the opposite of Dracula right up until she dies. Stoker was massively sexually repressed, and shared in a cultural fear of sexuality, especially female sexuality, but I don't think in Lucy's specific case he meant for Dracula's murder of her to be read as a just or natural consequence.

If you haven't finished the book, I would advise you to please stop reading here, because there are minor spoilers incoming. Nothing specific, just vague allusions, but still, there's nothing more of value for you to read here.

BRIEF, MINOR SPOILERS WHILE I ADDRESS PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY READ THE BOOK THROUGH.

Yes, I know what happens next, and I stand by all my above arguments. I'm gonna be writing more of my thoughts about that when the time comes. Possibly going to split that one into two posts, because looking back at this one yeesh it got away from me.

END OF BRIEF, MINOR SPOILERS.

#dracula daily #dracula daily meta

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anotherhumaninthisworld · 1 year

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Robespierre babysitting Desmoulins compilation

Monsieur, I read the following passage regarding the decree from May 22 on the right of war and peace in your latest number of Révolutions de France et de Brabant […] I must, Monsieur, point out the error in which you have been led on the fact which concerns me in this passage. […] I hope, Monsieur, that you will be good enough to make my statement public through your newspaper, especially since your magnanimous zeal for the cause of liberty will make it a law for you not to leave bad citizens the slightest of pretext to calumniate the energy of the defenders of the people. De Robespierre. Robespierre in a letter to Camille, June 7 1790

M. Malouet: …Is Camille-Desmoulins innovative? He will justify himself. Is he guilty? I will be the accuser of him and of all those who take up his defense. Let him justify himself, if he dares. (A voice rises from the stands: Yes, I dare. A part of the surprised assembly rises; the rumor spreads in the assembly that it is M. Camille Desmoulins who has spoken; the president gives the order to arrest the individual who uttered these words.) N…: I ask that we deliberate beforehand on this arrest. M. Robespierre: I believe that the provisional order given by the President was indispensable; but must you confuse imprudence and inconsideration with crime? He heard himself accused of a crime against the Nation, it is difficult for a sensitive man to remain silent. It cannot be supposed that he intended to disrespect the Legislative Body. Humanity agrees with justice, pleads in its favour. I ask for his release, and that we move on to the agenda. [The president annonces that M. Camille Desmoulins has escaped and can’t be arrested. The Assembly pass onto the order of the day.] Robespierre and Desmoulins during a session of the National Assembly August 2

[Robespierre] thought the highest (il a fait le plus grand cas) of Camille Desmoulins. He's going too fast, Robespierre said to me, he'll break his neck; Paris wasn't made in a day, it takes more than a day to undo. Souvenirs d’un déporté (1802) by Pierre Villiers, who claims to have been Robespierre’s secretary for a while in 1790.

I point out to Monsieur Camille Demoulins (sic) that neither the beautiful eyes nor the fine qualities of the charming Lucile are reasons for not announcing my work on the national guards which has been given to him and of which I send him a copy if necessary. At this moment there is no object more pressing or more important than the organization of the National Guards. At least that is what the citizens of Marseilles think, of whom I am here attaching a decree relating to my speech. I beg Camille not to mislead himself and to try to also send me back the letters from Avignon and the replies which I gave him. Robespierre in a letter to Camille, February 14 1791

How come you (Robespierre) tolerated that the vile informer (Camille), to whom I was answering, seeing the Society cover with long applause the hard truths that I was beginning to tell him, left his place to go sit down behind you, pulled you by the tailcoat and spoke to you in a low voice and with an air of intelligence! Didn't you have to feel that such intimacy would favor him, and turn to my prejudice? The deputy Patris regarding a session at the Jacobins May 9 1792

The true origin of the rigor of the Committee towards you, would it be in a very long note, which was printed following l’Histoire des Brissotins, which Robespierre made me cut out, but which will have transpired? Desmoulins in his Lettre à Dillon (1793).

One day Camille familiarly enters the Duplay house; Robespierre was absent. He starts a conversation with the youngest of the carpenter's daughters; as he retires, Camille hands her a book he had under his arm. ”Elizabeth,” he said to her, ”do me the service of holding onto this work; I will come back for it.” No sooner had Desmoulins left than the young girl curiously half-opened the book entrusted to her custody: what was her confusion, seeing paintings of revolting obscenity pass under her fingers. She blushes: the book falls. All the rest of the day Elizabeth was silent and troubled; Maximilian noticed it; drawing her aside. "What's the matter with you," he asked her, "you look so worried to me?" The young girl lowered her head, and as an answer went to fetch the book with the odious engravings which had offended her sight. Maximilien opened the volume and turned pale. "Who gave you this?" he asked in a voice shaking with anger. The girl frankly told him what had happened. "It’s fine," Robespierre went on, "don't talk about what you've just told me to anyone: I'll make it my business. Don't be sad anymore. I'll let Camille know. It is not what enters involuntarily through the eyes that defiles chastity: it is the evil thoughts that one has in the heart.” He admonished his friend severely, and from that day on, visits from Camille Desmoulins became very rare. Histoire des Montagnards, volume 2, page 417-418 (1847) by Alphonse Esquiros. Esquiros claimed to have obtained this anecdote from Élisabeth herself.

Robespierre: Camille's writings are to be condemned, no doubt; but nevertheless it is necessary to distinguish the person from his works. I consent freedom to treat Desmoulins like a spoiled child who had happy dispositions, and who has been led astray by bad company. His head sometimes wanders, but his talents are precious. But we must demand of him that he prove his repentance for all his thoughtlessness, by quitting those companies which have ruined him. We must crack down on his acts that Brissot himself would not have dared to admit, and keep Desmoulms in our midst. All these truths are not flattering for an author: but if the vanity of Camille Desmoulins is offended by them, he considers that he has attracted a small admonition sufficient to correct it. When he sees that he has deserved still more severe reproaches, he will feel the necessity of rallying to principles, and removing from himself all causes of an error that we are willing to forgive him for. Let him examine that his writings are the pain of patriots and the joy of aristocrats, and he will be grateful to us to see that it is only for him that we can forget them. I end by asking that his numbers be treated like the aristocrats who buy them, with the contempt that profanity deserves. I propose to the Society to burn them in the middle of the room (There is applause several times; Robespierre's speech was interrupted by applause and bursts of laughter). Desmoulins: That's very well said, Robespierre, but I'll answer you like Rousseau: "To burn is not to answer." Robespierre: How dare you still want to justify works that delight the aristocracy? Learn, Camille, that if you were not Camille, one could not have so much indulgence for you. The way you want to justify yourself proves to me that you have bad intentions. To burn is not to answer! But can this quotation of the sublime philosopher of Geneva find its application here? WelI, I retract my last motion; I ask that Camille's numbers not be burned, but that they be answered. Since he wants to, let him be covered with ignominy, let the Society not restrain its indignation, since he persists in supporting his diatribes and his dangerous principles. The man who clings so strongly to perfidious writings is perhaps more than misguided; if he had been in good faith, if he had written in the simplicity of his heart, he would not have dared longer to support works proscribed by patriots and sought after by all the counter-revolutionaries of France. His courage is only borrowed, he detects the hidden men under whose dictation he wrote his diary; he detects in Desmoulins the organ of a villainous faction which has borrowed his pen to distill its poison with more audacity and certainty. Desmoulins, who sees himself blamed by the patriots, finds himself compensated by the adulations of the aristocrats he frequents, and by the caresses of many false patriots, under which he does not perceive the perfidious intention of ruining him. You must know what he said in response to those who blamed his writings: Do you know that I sold 50 000 copies! I would not have said these truths if Desmoulins had not been so obstinate, but the point of order has become necessary. I therefore ask that the numbers of Camille Desmoulins be read from the rostrum: if there are individuals who defend his principles, they will be listened to, but there will be patriots to answer them. Desmoulins: But Robespierre, I don’t understand you. How can you say only aristocrats read my paper? The Convention, the Mountain, are they composed of aristocrats? You denounce me here, but was I not at your house? Didn’t I read you my numbers, asking you, in the name of friendship, for your advice, and to trace the path that I had to take? Robespierre: You didn’t show me all your numbers, I only saw one or two. To avoid quarrel I didn’t want to read the others, it would be said that I dictated them. Danton: Camille mustn’t be frightened by the rather severe lessons Robespierre’s friendship has just given him. Citizens, let justice and cold-headedness always preside over our decisions. In judging Camille, be careful to not strike a deadly blow against the liberty of the press. [A secretary reads number 4 of Vieux Cordelier, which excites reclamations, the reading is at several times interrupted by marks of improbation. The club, at the proposal of Robespierre, decides that it will hear the reading of Camille’s third and fifth number tomorrow, where he will justify himself.] Robespierre and Desmoulins at the Jacobins January 7 1794

#if this was their relationship at 31 and 33 i don’t want to know how it was like at 11 and 13 #or actually i do #robespierre #desmoulins #maximilien robespierre #camille desmoulins #frev #frev compilation #here you have the inventors of your national motto frenchmen!#max and his idiot child

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azukanacrown · 7 months

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Okay I know I’m late to the party, but I’ve just gotta get this outta my system. I’ve been watching Miraculous Ladybug Season 5 and I just finished the episode where Lila tries to frame Marionette for foraging all the class’ portfolios (or whatever they’re called) and it’s just a reminder of how shit of character Lila is. Not necessarily because she’s an awful person, but because she’s horribly written.

I understand that Miraculous is a kid’s show but that doesn’t mean everyone constantly has to be a moron. Like, every time Lila spins a lie the writing surrounding her just completely dumbs down. She isn’t even that necessary as a character. I think the only reason she’s kept around is so she can become the next Hawkmoth (if this is revealed in the last few episodes, don’t tell me), given Bunnix & that one-time traveling villain talking about the Hawkmoth of the future.

Anyways, it’s just annoying how everyone believes her for no good reason. Like, for example, that episode where she’s calling from the Middle East because she’s visiting Prince Ali. Nobody questions the fact that nothing is moving in the background, like no birds no clouds, lighting, people, nothing, nor the lack of visual depth. Because human eyes can tell when something is flat or not (usually). Also, an orange lamp? Really? What is this, a Hollywood movie of the Middle East or any “desert” place?

Then you have Alya refusing to believe Marionette about Lila. Like yes, you shouldn’t just take people’s word for things but once it gets to the point where someone else is also agreeing, aka Adrien and you still refuse to believe them that’s on you. Not to mention, conveniently, Adrien just doesn’t talk about the time when he talked to Lila to ensure she unspins her lies about Marionette pushing her down the stairs. On top of that, she literally said she has a disorder that makes her lie. SHE LITERALLY ADMITTED TO RANDOMLY LYING (even if though that was a lie too other people don’t know that). So even if she “doesn’t mean to” that at least means she compulsively lies and can’t control it.

I also just hate how Alya says it’s cute that Adrien is standing up for his girl instead of considering the fact that he’s just telling the truth. Adrien is someone who tried to see good in even Chloe and now he’s speaking ill of another person, for love or not, that is not in his nature to do and yet they still don’t take either of them seriously (he was in love with Ladybug and she made it pretty clear she didn’t like Chloe and yet he still defended her). It was also very infantilizing towards Marionette. (Also the fact that she just conveniently forgot about the fact that Lila lied about being friends with Ladybug even though she knows Marionette hates her is just pathetic)

Then there’s the fact that, even though Marionette is apparently so busy with her love life and other things, she has the time to not only rewrite but take the time to learn the handwriting of about 16 students. And do it in like a day or two, given she was doing it out of spite for not being picked to be the class rep. Unlike Lila, Marionette has plenty of history to prove her good nature. None of them actually know Lila other than for the things she tells them she does. Like sure, maybe she convinces some of the class but the ENTIRE class. Many of which have always believed in Marionette’s good nature (namely Rose & Mylene).

It pisses me off how Ms. Bustier also tried to send Chloe & Lila to go comfort Sabrina after all of them watched her have a literal breakdown saying it was those exact two that made her do it. And it’s obvious it was just so they could catch their conversation in the bathroom (which, not to mention, is strange it has a two sided mirror into the girls bathroom. I get it was to get proof, but that’s still weird). But then there’s the fact no one turned on those two when they not only watched Sabrina breakdown and turn against Chloe, her literal best-friend and master, but also watch Lila not try to comfort her at ALL, only continuing to try and turn it against Marionette in this honeyed tone. Like it’s just ridiculous (utterly) how much they twist the writing to make sure Lila gets away with her lying even though if they took like two seconds to add Adrien telling his story or someone else having common sense they never would’ve believed her.

I know I am overthinking a kid’s show, you do not have to tell me 💀 trust me I am fully aware.

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rebeccathenaturalist · 2 years

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Hero Dog? How to Prevent Dog-Wildlife Conflicts

Originally posted on my blog at https://rebeccalexa.com/hero-dog/

We’ve all seen the headlines: “Hero dog saves owner from rattlesnake!” “Hero dog saves owner from bear!” “Hero dog saves owner from Godzilla!” (Okay, maybe not that last one.) But it’s common to see feel-good articles about how someone’s dog attacked a wild animal that was presented to the reader as a threat. Scary wild animal is routed, dog returns to have its wounds attended to by the vet, people marvel at how wonderful their dog was for protecting them.

Yet in reading these articles, I’ve found that in many of them the entire encounter could have been avoided. There are, of course, legitimate situations where a wild animal advanced on a person unprovoked. However, that’s not always the case.

I love my dog, and I enjoy taking her out hiking. However, I am aware of the fact that wildlife view dogs as a particular type of threat, even compared to humans. Small animals, of course, recognize her as a potential large predator. But even bigger wildlife may consider her a danger to their young in the same way that coyotes and wolves are; these canine predators may hunt and kill young elk, deer, and even bear cubs if they have the opportunity. That means dogs (even small ones) can induce the same predator alarm response as their wild cousins. And remember that dogs have been used to help us hunt for thousands of years, so they haven’t lost those instincts, nor have wildlife forgotten the danger they pose.

So a wild animal that may simply move away from a human alone may be more on guard if a dog is present. Even if all we’re doing is quietly walking on a trail, with her on a leash, I am paying extra attention to what’s going on around us, just in case. After all, I want to try to avoid being this person, who accidentally startled a mother bear and her cubs.

Here are some ways to help reduce the chance of dog-wildlife conflicts.

In reading these articles, I noticed a common theme: the majority of the dogs were off-leash. That makes it much more likely that the dog will charge at the wild animal, even if the animal is just walking by or standing within sight. In those cases, it is the dog that is the one starting the fight, not “defending their owner”.

“But–but–my dog always walks off leash and stays right by me!” I’ve heard this a lot, and yet even the best-trained dogs have a point at which the temptation is too great, and they ignore their owner’s recall. In fact, here’s an article about a highly trained police K9 malinois that went missing after chasing a deer. Just because it hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean it can’t ever happen; there are a lot of “My dog has NEVER done that before!” incidents out there. Why not just make sure there never is a first time?

If you want to reduce the likelihood that your dog is going to start a fight with a bear, elk, raccoon, or other wild animal, keep them leashed. And leashes aren’t just important to protect wildlife from dogs, but to protect dogs from wildlife. Smaller dogs are convenient prey items for coyotes, mountain lions, and other large predatory animals. It only takes a few seconds for a small dog to wander off into the underbrush out of sight, and a leash is a great way to keep tragedy from happening.

Another thing that happens in wildlife conflicts is that the dog will start barking and otherwise acting aggressively toward the wildlife. In this article, for example, the owner says that one of the dogs barking is likely what provoked a bear to attack. BearWise points out that the behavior that dogs commonly show when wildlife appear–barking, snapping, and lunging–is seen as a threat. That means that an animal that might have otherwise continued on its way now feels threatened and defends itself accordingly.

Yes, it’s natural for dogs to bark. However, it is possible to train a dog to stop barking, and to not jump or lunge. By training your dog a command like “Quiet” or “Hush”, and training them to stay on heel right next to you even with distractions, you are greatly reducing the perceived threat to wildlife. It’s still a very good idea to retreat away from the animal with your dog as quickly as possible rather than stand around and see if your training worked.

[This prairie rattlesnake’s (Crotalis viridis) curled pose and shaking rattle is its last-ditch attempt to get a threat to leave it alone so it doesn’t have to strike. It is NOT an “attack pose”; given the choice, the snake will go away.]

Finally, a special note for those of you in areas with venomous snakes: I’ve seen too many article (like this one, or this one) in which a dog ran up to a venomous snake that happened to be nearby and got bitten after “saving” their people from the snake. Snakes don’t want to start fights; instead, they’d rather have the room to retreat from danger so they don’t end up injured or killed. If you happen to step too close to a snake, the best thing you can do (as difficult as it may sound) is to stay perfectly still until the snake goes away. The absolute worst thing you can do is provoke it, and all a barking, lunging dog is doing is escalating the situation so that the snake feels it has no choice but to defend itself.

So how do you keep your dog from running up to a rattling rattlesnake or not-well-camouflaged copperhead? Snake avoidance training! By training your dog to just not go near snakes in the first place, you can help avoid them rushing in at a venomous snake and getting bitten.

I think in an ideal world we would all want to keep our pets safe. And “Well, it’s the dog’s job” isn’t an excuse. Just because some dogs were bred to hunt or protect doesn’t mean that it’s okay to place them in circumstances where they’re unnecessarily at risk, especially when it’s possible to avoid the conflict in the first place. As thrilling as “hero dog” headlines sound, ultimately they’re all situations in which people’s pets end up in seriously dangerous conflicts with wildlife. And yes, in some cases those pets end up dying, and the wildlife may be injured or killed, too. By doing what we can to minimize the chances of these conflicts occurring in the first place, we make it more likely that our beloved furry friends stay safe and sound, as do the wild animals we share space with.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

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helluva-dump · 9 months

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Just gonna say it here

As much as I dislike Vivziepop and how much it a crybaby brat she acted in twitter yesterday… can you like not defend right wingers that literally donated to politicians that want to eliminate the right of lgbt people????

Like wtf… is this the hill you guys wanna die on??? Literally defending right wingers that want people like me dead????

Listen I love FNAF but I honestly cannot stand Scott, I see him the same way as Doug TenNapel. Loving their works but that doesn’t change the fact they have harmful politics. Like the dude donated to anti lgbt causes and you call people that bash him “SJWs???” Who the fuck still lives under that mentality???

No Shannon, getting rightfully angry at someone donating to bigoted people and causes doesn’t make someone an “sjw” it’s literally basic human rights.

Yes, he may not react like a baby on twitter like Viv does and I don’t think he deserves to get doxxed and harassed, but that doesn’t change the fact he donated to donations that harmful to queer people.

I swear being a critical myself, I see antis hate shit over the dumbest reasons and now I see some going too far to justify and defend someone that’s a bigot.

The only “sjws” are mainly antis that take fiction too seriously…. Like if you like a problematic character or ship, that means you support abuse and abusive irl 🙄🙄🙄 like god forbid you can’t like blitzo or Verosika because “they do horrible stuff and if you like then your horrible too”

Like holy shit, just because I like a few questionable characters doesn’t mean I support their actions. And this is coming from someone like me who doesn’t like Stolas or Stolitz but just saying people actually support abuse and r*pe is a little out of the line…

Yes, I’m annoyed with how Viv is writing the character and I want her to make them face consequences, but literally getting mad at those that still like some of these characters is honestly childish and you need to touch grass.

And before you call me an ass kiss, I do NOT like Viv. I criticized the shit out of her many times and I don’t like how she works as a “professional”, nor how she treats her employees, giving fans false hopes, and I don’t like Stans that blindly eat shit up and worship her without question.

That being said, the antis getting to the point where they will literally defend a right winger content creator or even get angry if someone likes problematic characters like blitzo or Verosika and call you a r*Pe sympathizer is insane.

If you seriously have this mentality, fucking unfollow me and do not fucking interact. If you actually that queer people are sjws for getting rightfully angry at Scott, please go fuck yourself and fuck off the critical tags.

Your only proving Viv’s point with the homophobia and that’s not fair for criticals that had valid reasons to dislike her, cut that shit out.

#helluva boss critical #anti helluva boss #yes I’m putting it on the anti tag so they can have a wake up call #scott cawthon critical #like Jesus #are you guys this fucking stupid #anti Vivziepop #only tagging anti viv so critical can be aware of homophobes lurking in the critical and anti blog

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majaloveschris · 9 months

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And it's not that I don't want him happy or that I want him to end with me; I just don't think she is a good person, and I don’t want somebody I like to end up with somebody I don't consider a good person.///

THIS!!!

👏

I hope Chris looks past the crazies in the fandom because yes they unfortunately exist, but I hope he realizes that if and when he gets in a truly HEALTHY and happy relationship with a awesome woman, this fandom will show support.

He’s been with problematic women which is why many think this is a legit relationship, but this PR stunt chick takes the freaking cake. She and her crew are racist and the reason we’re screaming PR is because he’d hope Chris would NEVER purposely associate with trash like the PT trio.

Also, it’s Chris Evans, the man expresses his emotions freely, if this man was truly in love he wouldn’t be acting like this nor sharing or trying to prove this shitshow to the world. We would know absolutely NOTHING about said relationship and if we got anything it would be an article stating he’s taken and maybe a personal IG post….like ONE not twenty five and it won’t be a freaking story that’s for sure. 😂

This man goes goo goo ga ga over Dodger and you can tell that is the current love of his life. Dude would be happy and smiling, not displaying Arthur fist and putting his hand in his pocket after dropping his hand from hers right after ensuring his photographer got the pap walk and was no longer in distance.

Like you can’t make this crap up.

Anyway like I said when it’s real we’ll be excited for him because that’s what many want, him to find his one and be happy and ensure said woman is good hearted like him, no trolling, not clout chasing, no riling up the fandom. Someone who loves him for HIM and a queen that he will protect and unfortunately he hasn’t gotten close to that yet. I’m sure he’s aware of that too, but who knows.

Mind you, yes there will be obviously be those select fans mad at anyone he dates but that’s not the case for majority and who knows if said woman is great we might start seeing Stan accounts for the two and people in the fandom defending her.

I welcome it. 😌

I'm also pretty sure there will always be people who won't like whoever he dates, but that's kind of unavoidable when you are famous and a lot of people have a crush on you. And yeah, I know he's dated questionable people, but let's be honest, some people will always dislike the woman he's dating just because she's dating him. But as you said, those are just a tiny part of the fandom, and there are a lot of people who would support a relationship if it was with a woman who is a good person.

I agree with you that if it were a real relationship, I don't think he would post this much about it or that we would've gotten that pap walk. Every picture and video are unnecessary since they won't change either side's opinion, and those who don't like or support them as a couple won't start loving them just because of a few scary videos and "lovely" pictures.

I also want him to be happy, and I think a lot of you feel the same way. I just don't see him as happy or healthy. The clout-chasing and trolling parts are one of the things that make this whole thing look so toxic. I don't think they are good people, and yeah, people can change, but to me, it doesn't seem like either of them did. I obviously don't know them personally, so this is just my opinion.

I think he should definitely work on himself. I do think he is a good human being, but I also think he shouldn't let people walk all over him. I think that sometimes he can be too indulgent with people around him, and I think this whole PR shitshow could teach him to stand up for himself and for the things he wants. I do think he wants to settle down, and I'm sure she is looking for a normal, nice woman and for someone who wants normal things like going on hikes or road trips. Who doesn't want to parade in LA every single day. Who just wants to lay low. However, he also needs to work out his issues before he can get the partner he's been looking for. I think he's already done some work, but yeah, you know what I mean.

I just hope one day he finds the person he is seeking. He deserves to be happy.

#majaloveschris #chris and alba pr #cevans-love

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winns-stuff · 1 year

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WOW so feminist

the way hades "rescues" persephone from her abusive home is through marriage... because watching over your immature, naive child who was put into a shady relationship by your sister and also into a position of power by said boyfriend is, apparently, abuse...

putting aside how demeter's character is brutally villainized, it sucks that persephone doesn't even get to confront her mother. like she needs him to fight her battles for her despite the plot making it seem like this is the ultimate standing up to her mother

where is the wrath that metis praised her for?

instead she has to run from home like a salty teenager by marrying her 40yo CEO boyfriend. in any other media that would be the beginning of a cautionary tale if not a horror story altogether

Sorry again to this person, their question has been sitting in the inbox for a while.

But I don’t understand why Persephone is just so.. Weak? Like we’re supposed to praise her for her inner and outer strength and see her growth but there’s nothing to show for it except for words that other characters describe her as. I’ve never seen Persephone be terrifying recently, maybe to the nymphs and lower class but no one else. I’ve never seen her be intelligent either nor have I seen her be kind to anyone who isn’t already in her favor. But you know what I have seen? Other characters praising Persephone for being all of these things, it doesn’t make sense to me. I can say that I’m a millionaire with a big huge mansion and thirty dogs and cats but if I don’t show you any evidence to prove the statement you’re not going to believe me are you? Like in order for us to really compliment Persephone for being any of those traits you first have to make her do those actions which means you’ll have to show us how she’s terrifying, show us how she’s compassionate, show us how she’s smart, show us why she’s this caring individual. People eat up the way Persephone is described but they remain blind about the actual results of that.

Also, I understand that sometimes you might need support or help with things especially when speaking to a (narrative wise I guess??) abusive parent, I imagine you wouldn’t want to be alone with them when you’re confronting them so it’s always good to have another person you feel safe and protected with. But the thing that bugs me and probably a lot of people is that it seems like Persephone can’t do anything for herself, it feels like she’s banned by the comic from being anything but a smol cinnamon roll. It’s insane how she’s never had the chance to actually defend herself or speak up, who took that ability away from her?

Last thing, I absolutely hate how everyone’s allowing Hera to get away with all of this. She quite literally forced Persephone and Hades to be together and she’s been keeping it from Demeter and allowing her to look crazy in front of everyone while puppeteering the whole thing behind the scenes. You’re definitely not a girl boss for ignoring your nieces requests to not go in a place she’s obviously not comfortable in, match her up with your affair, and continue to push their relationship together while living through her. It’s insane to me how LO stans claimed that Demeter was doing that all while Hera literally… Nevermind I’m not going to spoil anyone but just know that it’s icky.

#lo critical #anti lore olympus #anti lo

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bethanydelleman · 1 year

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Gilbert Markham is A Flawed but Good Guy

This is gonna be long. Like really long.

I have re-read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall just to defend my man Gilbert from people who say he’s problematic. He represents a realistically flawed man who is able to grow and change, unlike Arthur Huntingdon.

Gilbert’s behaviour towards women is admirable on the whole. He spends a fair amount of time thinking about his mother and her rules/desires for his conduct:

However, that haven of bliss must not be entered till I had exchanged my miry boots for a clean pair of shoes, and my rough surtout for a respectable coat, and made myself generally presentable before decent society; for my mother, with all her kindness, was vastly particular on certain points.

It’s pretty clear he is respectful of his mother and he tries to do what she wants. He is constantly thinking he’d better get home because she dislikes him being late for meals, even though we know she will make new food/tea for him as the man of the house. He is also unfailingly kind to his sister, and even praises her good character.

His profession about how he will treat his wife also stands out, “when I marry, I shall expect to find more pleasure in making my wife happy and comfortable, than in being made so by her: I would rather give than receive.”

Even with Eliza Millward, with whom he takes a few encouraged liberties, when he loses interest in her, and even starts to dislike her for gossiping against Helen, he still thinks of her feelings:

Though my affections might now be said to be fairly weaned from Eliza Millward, I did not yet entirely relinquish my visits to the vicarage, because I wanted, as it were, to let her down easy; without raising much sorrow, or incurring much resentment,—or making myself the talk of the parish... which, I thought, could neither give offence nor serve to encourage false hopes.

As for Helen, Gilbert really doesn’t like Helen right away, probably because she disagrees with him:

She laughingly turned round and held out her hand. I gave it a spiteful squeeze, for I was annoyed at the continual injustice she had done me from the very dawn of our acquaintance. Without knowing anything about my real disposition and principles, she was evidently prejudiced against me, and seemed bent upon showing me that her opinions respecting me, on every particular, fell far below those I entertained of myself. I was naturally touchy, or it would not have vexed me so much. Perhaps, too, I was a little bit spoiled by my mother and sister, and some other ladies of my acquaintance;—and yet I was by no means a fop—of that I am fully convinced, whether you are or not.

But very soon in their acquaintance, he starts to realize that he actually likes talking to an intelligent woman who disagrees with him. He is attracted to her because she is intelligent and strong-willed. Which is really admirable for a man who is used to not being challenged.

Gilbert is respectful of Helen’s boundaries for the most part, especially when it comes to Arthur. He does things like he asking Helen’s permission to take Arthur for rides on his horse. “He wanted me to come in; but I told him I could not without his mother’s leave.”

Now yes, there are instances where she asks him to leave her and he doesn’t:

“I must beg you to leave me now, and let me alone hereafter: in fact, we must be strangers for the future.” [Helen]

“I will, then—be your friend, or brother, or anything you wish, if you will only let me continue to see you; but tell me why I cannot be anything more?”

But here is the thing, Gilbert is very confused by her behaviour. He can tell that she likes him, and we know she does, but he thinks she is a widow. He thinks she feels bad for falling in love again so soon after her husband died. He cannot understand, if both of them are single, why they can’t be together. He does for the most part listen to and respect what she says as well, this quotes shouldn’t be taken in isolation. In general, he leaves when he is asked to leave.

Also, Gilbert is sure of Helen’s character and is ready to defend her against all slander. He also defends her decision to leave her husband, once it is revealed to the town in general, despite Mr. Millward condemning her.

After Gilbert reads the diary, he is extremely respectful of Helen’s space. He avoids her while she remains at Wildfell, as he promised, and then he does not write to her almost a year because he does not know if she wants to hear from him or not, in addition to it being indelicate to write soon after the death of her husband.

He almost turns back from visiting her because he “feared to intrude” and “I thought an interview would only disturb your peace”. That is a man who is respectful of the woman he loves. He even listens to her silence: “but your silence naturally led me to conclude myself forgotten”. He learns of her fortune and thinks himself entirely unworthy of her:

“I’ll tell you at once,” said I. “I will confess that I came here for the purpose of seeing you (not without some monitory misgivings at my own presumption, and fears that I should be as little welcome as expected when I came), but I did not know that this estate was yours until enlightened on the subject of your inheritance by the conversation of two fellow-passengers in the last stage of my journey; and then I saw at once the folly of the hopes I had cherished, and the madness of retaining them a moment longer; and though I alighted at your gates, I determined not to enter within them; I lingered a few minutes to see the place, but was fully resolved to return to M—— without seeing its mistress.”

Gilbert does have an anger problem, but he deals with it in a healthy way: he leaves the situation. The only person he usually hits is his brother, who purposely antagonize him: by whom I was collared in the passage, on coming down, and well-nigh jerked off my equilibrium, and who, in correction for his impudence, received a resounding whack over the sconce, which, however, sustained no serious injury from the infliction. This is fairly standard sibling squabbles, his brother grabbed him by the collar to try and knock him over, Gilbert hit him in retaliation. Not really a big deal. They are both grown up as well.

Gilbert is usually able to leave when he gets angry and when he believes that he will say or do something untoward. When he first hears the rumours that Helen is mistress to Mr. Lawrence, he angrily sits through dinner and then leaves the house to cool off:

At length it was over; and I rose and left the table and the guests without a word of apology—I could endure their company no longer. I rushed out to cool my brain in the balmy evening air, and to compose my mind or indulge my passionate thoughts in the solitude of the garden.

When Mr. Millward accuses Helen of being sexually immoral and then tells Gilbert about the encounter:

“As for ME, sir,” I began, but checked by some impediment in my utterance, and finding that my whole frame trembled with fury, I said no more, but took the wiser part of snatching up my hat and bolting from the room, slamming the door behind me, with a bang that shook the house to its foundations, and made my mother scream, and gave a momentary relief to my excited feelings.

And when Eliza gossips to him about Helen:

I said nothing more on the subject, however, at the time, and but little on any other; for, finding I could not well recover my equanimity, I presently rose and took leave, excusing myself under the plea of business at the farm; and to the farm I went, not troubling my mind one whit about the possible truth of these mysterious reports, but only wondering what they were, by whom originated, and on what foundations raised, and how they could the most effectually be silenced or disproved.

Gilbert is able to control himself and he deals with his strong emotions by leaving. Now when he does hit Mr. Lawrence, it’s because Lawrence will not let him employ this strategy:

He accosted me by name, for it was no stranger—it was Mr. Lawrence! Instinctively the fingers of my whip-hand tingled, and grasped their charge with convulsive energy; but I restrained the impulse, and answering his salutation with a nod, attempted to push on; but he pushed on beside me, and began to talk about the weather and the crops. I gave the briefest possible answers to his queries and observations, and fell back. He fell back too, and asked if my horse was lame. I replied with a look, at which he placidly smiled.

I was as much astonished as exasperated at this singular pertinacity and imperturbable assurance on his part. I had thought the circumstances of our last meeting would have left such an impression on his mind as to render him cold and distant ever after: instead of that, he appeared not only to have forgotten all former offences, but to be impenetrable to all present incivilities. Formerly, the slightest hint, or mere fancied coldness in tone or glance, had sufficed to repulse him: now, positive rudeness could not drive him away. Had he heard of my disappointment; and was he come to witness the result, and triumph in my despair? I grasped my whip with more determined energy than before—but still forbore to raise it, and rode on in silence, waiting for some more tangible cause of offence, before I opened the floodgates of my soul and poured out the dammed-up fury that was foaming and swelling within.

“Markham,” said he, in his usual quiet tone, “why do you quarrel with your friends, because you have been disappointed in one quarter? You have found your hopes defeated; but how am I to blame for it? I warned you beforehand, you know, but you would not—”

He said no more; for, impelled by some fiend at my elbow, I had seized my whip by the small end

Gilbert tries, multiple times, to get away from Lawrence. Eventually he hits him with the butt of his whip. Now, assault is wrong, I am not here to deny that, but Gilbert was provoked into this attack and he did not mean to hurt Lawrence as much as he did. In the law, provoked attacks are treated differently than unprovoked ones. We know Gilbert is in pretty extreme mental distress at this point in the novel and it’s because of Lawrence, but Gilbert did not seek out this encounter and he tried multiple times to leave.

He also does go back to help even though he believes Lawrence deserved to be smacked, “it was, simply, the voice of conscience; and I took great credit to myself for attending so promptly to its dictates”. Lawrence will not accept his help. Gilbert is later ashamed of what he has done and he seeks forgiveness.

Now, for his best feature, when Gilbert meets little Arthur, he treats him well right away, saving him and then trying to comfort him: There was a silent struggle, and then a piercing shriek;—but, in an instant, I had dropped my gun on the grass, and caught the little fellow in my arms. I wiped his eyes with his frock, told him he was all right and called Sancho to pacify him.

Importantly, Gilbert does not befriend Arthur as a way to get Helen to like him (he kind of dislikes her at this point):

I decidedly liked to talk to her little companion, whom, when once the ice of his shyness was fairly broken, I found to be a very amiable, intelligent, and entertaining little fellow; and we soon became excellent friends—how much to the gratification of his mamma I cannot undertake to say. I suspected at first that she was desirous of throwing cold water on this growing intimacy—to quench, as it were, the kindling flame of our friendship—but discovering, at length, in spite of her prejudice against me, that I was perfectly harmless, and even well-intentioned, and that, between myself and my dog, her son derived a great deal of pleasure from the acquaintance that he would not otherwise have known, she ceased to object, and even welcomed my coming with a smile.

Now as for how Gilbert contrasts with the other men in Tenant:

He has a good reputation in his community, Arthur has a very negative one.

He is financially responsible. Gilbert is discussing the purchase of a field from a neighbour and his farm appears to be thriving. He also is providing well for his mother and sister. Arthur, on the other hand, has wasted his money and is deep in debt, despite starting out much richer.

Gilbert actually engages in work. When he receives the present for Helen, he is intending to spend the entire day working with his labourers to help bring in the hay. He appears to have healthy hobbies outside of the his work, like reading. Arthur is bored and idle. His hobbies are all self-destructive: Meanwhile, poor Arthur was sadly at a loss for something to amuse him or to occupy his time. He wanted to appear as busy and as unconcerned as I did. Had the weather at all permitted, he would doubtless have ordered his horse and set off to some distant region, no matter where, immediately after breakfast, and not returned till night: had there been a lady anywhere within reach, of any age between fifteen and forty-five, he would have sought revenge and found employment in getting up, or trying to get up, a desperate flirtation with her; but being, to my private satisfaction, entirely cut off from both these sources of diversion, his sufferings were truly deplorable.

In a bout of passion, Gilbert does suggest that Arthur isn’t Helen’s husband, but he immediately feels terrible and regrets ever having said it. He is no Hargrave. (“I won’t, I won’t!” said I, gently laying my hand on hers; almost as much alarmed at her vehemence as ashamed of my own misconduct.)

While he does drink, we never see Gilbert drunk. He has no problems with addiction. Unlike all the other men.

Hattersley also has an anger problem, which he takes out on his wife entirely unprovoked. We never see Gilbert angry at anyone without a logical cause and he never lashes out at a woman.

Gilbert’s dog Sancho loves him. Arthur is cruel to his dog when bored: But his favourite cocker, Dash, that had been lying at my feet, took the liberty of jumping upon him and beginning to lick his face. He struck it off with a smart blow, and the poor dog squeaked and ran cowering back to me. When he woke up, about half an hour after, he called it to him again, but Dash only looked sheepish and wagged the tip of his tail. He called again more sharply, but Dash only clung the closer to me, and licked my hand, as if imploring protection. Enraged at this, his master snatched up a heavy book and hurled it at his head. The poor dog set up a piteous outcry, and ran to the door. I let him out, and then quietly took up the book.

Gilbert genuinely enjoys that Helen makes him a better person (though he did not have very far to improve). Arthur brags at length about how he dragged Lord Lowborough back into addiction.

Gilbert is respectful of how Helen raises Arthur, even if he disagrees with her methods. Arthur is intentionally trying to turn Little Arthur against his mother and encourages him to drink in excess (at five!)

Gilbert genuinely enjoys Helen’s passions. The part of the novel from his side shows how much he appreciates nature and he loves Helen’s paintings. He is actually able to suggest sensible changes to her work. They are compatible in more ways than just passion.

Conclusion: Gilbert is not perfect, but I think that’s the point! No real man is perfect, but Gilbert is a man with a solid foundation of principles and good conduct who just needs to grow up a little. Arthur is a man with no foundation of good conduct who is basically a walking red flag. Helen and Gilbert marrying is a happy ending, because she has learned to judge men’s merits correctly and she knows that Gilbert will be a good husband and a good stepfather to Arthur. This line melts me: he was my own Helen’s son, and therefore mine; and as such I have ever since regarded him.

#gilbert my love #the tenant of wildfell hall #longest post ever that I have ever written #gilbert markham #helen graham #arthur huntingdon #A full defense of Gilbert for reference #I only read his part of the book btw #I read the whole book recently and I just couldn't do the diary again

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petitesmafia · 1 year

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i’ve been gifted a fic… from a chuuya hater i think(?) i don’t know why since i’ve never written anything for the bsd fandom nor have i been active in public. at most, i lurk around chuuya fics and leave comments + kudos so it’s a bit weird someone’s added me along their list of targets? anyways, i’m not really offended just confused and i remembered seeing something like this happen to you—so can i ask advice on what to do about it?

oooh boy i’m really sorry to hear that. please read under cut.

the person targeting you is ᴍᴇʟᴏᴢᴀɪ (ᴅᴀᴢᴀɪᴏʟᴏɢʏ on twitter), someone who has been harassing bsd creators (Chuuya stans and skk writers) for over a year now. she’s the 18 year old who claimed to be “a 14 year old from Reddit” for months so that she could play the minor card every chance she got before her identity was revealed. unfortunately she's impossible to reason with bc she thinks Chuuya stans + skk stans are all “Dazai antis” and she uses that to justify her harassment. just with me alone — she’s stopped recently, but she had sent me 500+ messages to date over the span of 8 months, created multiple accounts daily to circumvent my blocking, sending me messages ranging from death threats to misogynistic insults to accusing me of random things and blaming me for her mental health— when 1) i also am not a fic writer, 2) i had never interacted with her before she started bombarding me, and 3) i mainly post about Chuuya. it’s not about “defending Dazai” like she claims. it’s about the fact that she can’t stand to see anyone like Chuuya as a character, especially more than Dazai, bc she personally hates Chuuya.

she’s pretty relentless once she gets started to the point where police reports have been filed against her for cyberstalking and harassment, and i know some people have considered taking further legal action. if it gets that bad for you (like it was with my friends and I), that is something you may consider doing if feasible. AO3 had previously investigated her main account and suspended it as well, but she’s a big fan of creating numerous burners. for now i can only encourage you to report her (and continue doing so) bc she really does not know when to stop, and try ignoring her if you can (though speaking from experience: it’s easier said than done).

again i’m really sorry to hear that she’s targeting you. she can get pretty extreme and it can take a toll on your mental health having to deal with her for sure so if you ever want to vent or talk about it feel free to reach out!

#ena replies

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diamondangelkitten · 15 days

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Vierapril Day 16: Defend

Annabeth takes a look around the battered city, with its high peaks and stone walls, and sighs. Ishgard is beautiful in its own way, but its people are ugly. She shakes her head as she watches how poorly those in the Brume are treated and she understands why Alira remains in Fortemps Manor to not lose her cool. She meanders the streets, slowly making her way back to the Pillars, and shortly upon entering the Manor and sitting by Ali, there’s a commotion at the front door. The girls share a glance and make their way to join Count Edmont and his sons. “Warriors of Light,” a knight of House Fortemps says, “Master Alphinaud and Mistress Tataru have been arrested on accusations of spreading heresy.” Alira can’t stop herself facepalming, while Alinea and Aurora act far more outraged at the accusations. Annabeth is saddened at this turn of events, but after seeing how everything has thus played out, she is not fully surprised. “Is there nothing we can do?,” Alinea asks. The Ishgardian men tell them to seek out Ser Aymeric, so the girls leave the house, dressed for war, weapons in hand.

Along the way they encounter Haurchefant, a bright light within a dreary day. He accompanies them to a meeting with Ser Aymeric, where it is discussed that one of them can stand in for Mistress Tataru. “But what about Alphinaud?” Aurora is quite distressed, as even though they are near in age, she knows she’s the far better fighter between the two. Aymeric sighs and shakes his head, “Unfortunately the boy will have to fight. Now, which one of you will fight for Miss Tataru?” The girls glance among themselves. Alinea starts to step forward, but before she can, Alira slams a fist down on the table. “I can do whatever damage I can to them?” The men look between each other, “It is not meant that the other parties are killed,” Aymeric begins. Haurchefant intercedes, rather excitedly, “But you are more than welcome to wound or maim in whatever desire you wish, Mistress Alira. It would be an honor to see your skill at play.” Alira smirks, “I accept.” “Are you sure Alira?” Alinea looks at her, “I don’t doubt your skill whatsoever, but nor do I want your anger to cloud your judgement.” Annabeth steps between them, “No, let Alira do this. We’ve all been upset at the way Ishgard treats her people, but Alinea, you are too calm for this. Let Alira give them hell.” Aymeric casts a worried glance to Haurchefant, who can’t help but look enthralled at the rather fiery Viera. As the girls leave Ser Aymeric’s office, they can hear, “This is certain to be a spectacle for the ages.”

And what a show Alira puts on, Annabeth thinks. Her friend is a force of nature, and what else to bring against of heart of ice, than scorching flame and heat. Her friend unleashes wave upon wave of destruction, all the while keeping Alphinaud as far from harm as possible. It is a resounding defeat for the Heavens’ Ward, and Alira can’t help but turn to the crowd. “We are the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. We who defend those who cannot defend themselves.” There are cheers around the arena, though more likely for Alira’s battle skills than her words. Annabeth follows their cheering party through the crowd until they meet Alira, Alphinaud, and Tataru. Tataru runs to Alinea, hugging the Elezen who’s bent down to catch her. “Oh, I’m so glad you are all alright.” Annabeth sighs, “Us, Tataru? We can take care of ourselves. You have to be more careful.” The Lalafell pulls back, tears running down her eyes, “I know! I just wanted to help you.” Aurora gently pats Tataru. “It’s alright! We all made it out! And Alira done it in style too.” Alira’s leaning against the railing, and it’s becoming apparent that she had slightly over done it. “Aye, and it was great fun doing it.” Alphinaud shakes his head, “You did not need to provoke them more with your words though.” Alira glares at the boy, “I meant it. While you may not, the four of us will always make sure that the weak are defended. That everyone gets a fair chance to be heard. We are not just your weapon to be wielded.” Alphinaud jumps back at the venom in Alira’s words, and even Aymeric pales a bit at her fire, but Haurchefant just raises his fist in the air, “Hear hear! A knight lives to serve. To protect. There is no greater calling.” Alira’s eyes soften and she smiles at Haurchefant before she turns to Alinea, “You really got lucky with him.” Alinea smiles as Haurchefant wraps his hand around hers, “I know.”

#vierapril #ffxiv #annabeth rose #alira thorne #alinea skylark #aurora calypso #haurchefant greystone #had to do a throwback at some point

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somuchyoudontknow · 9 months

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Sophie I’m about to rant due to those freaking anon responses. The below is specifically to the anons who replied to the Lana post as well as the racist in this fandom, yes there are racist in this fandom.

To everyone else, you all have been great and entertaining to observe. Please continue to stand up against racism and problematic issues!

To the idiotic anons:

Wow, I never mentioned anything about Lana Del Ray’s, music but wow at you anons calling yourselves out.

People sat here for months berating others about Alba and how it’s wrong for Chris to associate with racist yet……I now see that many here excuse problematic behavior in various other ways in their own lives. This is why I knew many in this fandom never cared about racism.

To think this fandom is majority white and many in the fandom probably only gave a damn about #BlackLivesMatter once they saw Chris at a protest. 🙄

I recall the outcry many had over minority fans specially black women writing fan fics about Chris and being absolutely outraged, many got pissed, telling black fans to stop writing and claiming how he’d ever date a black woman in real life.

All the public interactions he’s had with black women and his legit flirting with black interviewers, yet how quick so many in this fandom were to say it meant nothing, yet let a brunette white woman follow him and all hell breaks loose about him dating said woman. 😒

See, this is why I remained mute about much of this shitshow, many have excused various other things yet claim to be mad at Alba over having racist friends when many of you probably do as well. Hell many in this fandom probably just “tolerate” minorities or have racist thoughts and views yet believe since you don’t act on said thoughts, it’s okay, ITS NOT!! If Chris wasn’t the prime topic I’m sure some of you would probably defend Alba’s ass.

Thanks for telling us all how you all really feel anons, I don’t give a damn who you listen to, many have called Lana problematic for various reasons, nothing to do solely with her freaking music but you all already know how problematic she is or else ……..you all would not have responded the way you did. #TrueColors

If Chris married outside of his race many of you would lose your ever loving shit and that’s the gospel truth.

Many here don’t hate the fact that Alba is problematic nor racist, you simply hate the fact that she was in the same proximity as Chris Evans regardless if you think this is real or PR and you all use all the bs she and her friends have done as an excuse to spew that jealous anger. Absolutely pathetic just like her!!!!

Also LSA (lipstick alley) was created to be a online space for BLACK women. Unfortunately that has changed over the past decade, but You know why many there have completely wrote Chris off? Because we as black people don’t tolerate any person claiming to be against racism, yet hangs, befriends or associates with fucking racist!!!!

Chris seemed like a great guy and now many won’t ever see him the same again all because of this stupid ass PR stunt. That is why many hate watched, they wanted proof this was PR and that this man wasn’t purposefully hanging with these racist, but now people simply don’t care anymore, they’re over this shitshow.

White privilege is a mofo, no one stopped to ask how Lana was problematic or what specific things she’s said or done….why? Because she never said or done anything considered offensive to you anons, but you all were so fucking quick to say (“what am I supposed to stop listening to her because of that?” “Why can’t we just separate the person from the art”, “I guess we shouldn’t support any celebrity since they are all problematic”, etc) if that’s how you all deal with racism and problematic behavior then it’s no wonder racism and other crap are still tolerated.

Anons you’re a bunch of enablers. To continue to support someone regardless of their bad behaviors speaks volumes. Kanye West acted a plump fool, I don’t care how great his music was…….I don’t listen nor support him, PERIOD!!!!!

Argue amongst yourselves, screw the racist in this fandom, I’m done! 🖕🏾

I am so sorry you are leaving but your mental peace is the most important so I understand it. There is no doubt there are many problems in this fandom. Please take care of yourself.

#chris-evans #chris evans pr #alba-baptista #lana-del-ray

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