#I still love to listen cause I know I can get good things and Lear | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

minzart · 3 years

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Wait, since iago is here, all the other villains sidekick are probably there too. For example, pain and panic shapeshifting into birds to spy on idia and Yuu’s date, The hyenas causing student stampedes so Leona can save Yuu, Ursula’s eels spying on Yuu to get information about their likes and dislikes, Evil Queen’s crow is being used as a messenger, maleficent’s raven is causing hell on the others attempt to woo Yuu, King of hearts giving riddle pep talks

YOU GOT THE SPIRIT!

And FINALY THE KING OF HEARTS, YES, I FORGOT ABOUT THE LITTLE DUDE! Ok I watched only one time the alice movie but still

POOR KING OF HEARTS, the guy's bullied by the others oh my God only his wife to save him

He tries to give Riddle "the talk" "sir... your majesty I already know about this"

He tries his best but has no guts, Riddle wonders how the hell did the queen married him

jokes on him. When talking to the king he discovers that he's a great listener and his insecure but some times calm voice is realy reassuring for some reason reminds you of someone?

Surprising great at upping the boy's moral! "D-don't worry! I am sure they will find your tea party wonderful! I saw their little smile when they left last time!"

While the queen isn't above using more... seduction, the king has the most wholesome ideas and usually works best for the poor boys dignity

Oh the HYENAS, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, mischief encarned, they are loving the food, realy, more than they ever think they could eat.

Respect Leona bc he just let them do their own thing, however they become annoyed when Ruggie is pushed around too much "c'mon let the kid have a break once!"

When they see that a certain herbivore is catching the eye of said lion and scar himself just comented on how convenient it would be to have some chaos on certain day at certain time...

Crowley is losing feathers and hair by the second, WHO IS LETTING A ZOO LOSE AT THE SCHOOL??!! And who's gonna have to pay the price? Yuu, who's trying desperate to gain control on the hyenas and they don't look friendly, no sir

Luckily Leona came and up to the air they go, just a little problem, he wasn't aware of this plan, and now he's mad and start scolding the hyenas, they stop snickering at him carring yuu like a bride on the broom, looks like the plan might have been a success

"Leona you can put me dow now y'know"

"Do you realy think I don't see that scratch? Honestly herbivore you're bold to think I would let you harm yourself more than those imbeciles already did"

Flotsam and jetsam are such sneak litte shits, they are always watching, anytime Yuu pass by a lake or river, they are there, watching and listening

The Leech twins are a little skeptical about those two eels who just popped up on the octavinelle tanks, but soon lear they can be very entertaining and very useful, especialy if you can understand them

Oh they love to prank any poor unfortunate student that is next to a body of water, be it by calling them out or... biting

Azul got some very good information from them, favorite color? Dunno, but they are going to scarabia to study later this evening, and if he doesn't do something they are sure the scarabia boy is planing someting

Cue Azul's trying to interfere before something happens or just crashing on some dates when he can

On yuu's birthday day Azul gets them something they comented only to Grim and he just plays it off as a coincidence

Now the evil Queen's Crow has the chillies job among the seven henchmen, you see, Vil has so little privacy that even if he were to text yuu the public would know by one means or anothers

So what's the second best way to communicate? Letters! So the Crow's job is to come and go with them, wich makes him the second henchmen that has a good reputation with Yuu

Many times, as letters take time to be ready, he's just chilling on schools grounds, looking around, finding food, chilling with Diablo the usual

And then... Crowley shows up and oh boy, how can a bird so small manage to creat such a smug aura, and how can a grow ass man be so fucking jealous of a bird territorial thing? Oh no no no, Crowley knows very fucking well who this is and he ain't letting this little shit rob his position as best Crow to yuu no sir, OUT later that day he laid awake until 3 AM now realizes that a certain someone might not be totally dead

Pain & panic have notice how late Idia's staying awake and in some days comes back way later, so what they do? They go after him

And surprise surprise the boy is mopping by some ruin around the dorm, he was doing a video for those shows he likes so much, judging by the clothes and sticks, but stoped and is... wait... is he laughing?

Oh. Oh~ seems like he's not alone, the little prefect he doesn't shut up about is there and he's socializing with them how adorable! For someone who was in denial seconds ago they look fine together

So they just start recording, Ortho teached them, cute interactions for what? Two hours, they show it to him and Hades later, the room almost turned to ashes by his embarrassment, Hades is super fucking pround and betrayed Why didn't you told him earlier Idia?!

Would they go and record Yuu's life for him? Absolutely

Diablo my boy! best raven, I don't care, third best character in that movie only topped BY Maleficent and the three faries, he can literally be a general.

Listen remember when Malleus wanted a friend like him? Yeah guess what? He does have him now and ahahah would you look at that child of man I think it wasn't friendship that I felt why are you so cute tonight?

Goes to their night walk and finds them adorable together, notices yuu's extremely dangerous life, especialy the fact that they have no magic and guess who just got adopted by a bird

Yuu finds some trinkets and he himself delivers some, never getting from Malleus treasure, he gets those from around school

So bc Malleus nor his mistress can't watch over yuu all day he does the job instead

And he's not surprised to see how many boys grew interest on them, and he just loves sabotaging their plans over and over

It brings him great amusement when he sees the hope of a perfect confession fading from the students eyes

Sometimes even plays the victim to be rescued by Yuu and brought to Malleus immediately, causing more interaction between them by day time

#twst #twisted wonderland #disney henchmen #sgs au #twst sgs au #spirits of the great seven au #Yess love teh henchman #yuu just going around and those animals start coming yk them and asking for pets and scratches #everybody's supecting they are a secret sibiling of silver or something #crow war #and thats how crowley was forced to become a better persson. rivalry #you ideas were so good it was os fun to write this! skskskshueksbdvsjsknsik #nonny!#twst imagine #twst scenario #a little bit long #could be longer #iago already got two posts about him so I'm skipping him for those reasons #pround of this one

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starr-fall-knight-rise · 4 years

Text

Humans are Weird, “My human.”

You guys requested some more LFIL stuff, so I have brought it. Lots of Fluff, I hope. So please enjoy. Also based on a couple ideas given to me by the Discord server :)

“Where are we going.”

“You’ll see.”

“I feel like this is becoming our thing.”

“What?”

“Dragging the other to some sort of event and not saying literally anything about it beforehand.” Sunny hummed deep in her chest and Adam just rolled his eyes, looking around at the dark city awash with eternal night.

“Why Noctopolis of all the places. I mean we have a week off and you want to spend your vacation days in the literal dump of the galaxy?”

She huffed and rolled her eyes, “Please, you love it here. It's like any tradeworld from any sci-fi movie ever.”

That shut him up, and she could see the slow grin pass over his face.

Finally she shrugged, “Look, I just thought it would be nice to… go somewhere where we could relax, not have to worry about hiding.”

“I think there are a few nice beachfront planets we could have done that on.”

“Not with the tourism.” She shot back

A gust of sour wind kicked up through the bustling night streets tugging at Adam’s jacket and rippling the blue of his shirt like ripples across a pond. He adjusted his eyepatch as she led him through a maze of back alleys and tall buildings.

They took a rickety lift down into the gorge where the ever-present red mist billowed and glowed below them in patterns that undulated and wired.

They stepped off into another shallow rift, and followed a narrow street down into another side alley, where Sunny stopped.

Trash and little bits of paper blew around them where they stood in front of a peeling red door.

Adam raised an eyebrow at Sunny, “Ah, beautiful. A lovely vacation spot, I would like to move here and retire.”

“Smartass.” She mumbled at him before knocking on the red door.

There was a long pause while they waited, Adam tapping his foot against concrete below before the door opened a crack and a single human eye peered out at them. The distant echo of music thudded up through the room echoing off the walls.

“What do you want?”

“I’m A friend of Adam.”

Adam frowned and raised an eyebrow as the door shut suddenly and there was a rattling on the other side as if a chain was being released.

He glanced at Sunny but she only shook her head.

The door opened, and a woman with short buzzed black hair stepped into the doorway, invisible tattoos glowing under the blacklight.

As her eyes fell on him, he watched as her eyebrows raised, single eyebrow stud glittering in the light, “You weren’t kidding. Then her stern face broke into a smile, “Come on in. Any ‘friend of Adam’s is a friend of mine’.”

Adam followed along behind Sunny as the music grew louder, “Is that a code for something…. Is this a code? I am very confused.”

He was a lot less confused a minute later when they stepped out into the main room, a large spacious area with multiple stories. A room off to one side had bright flashing lights, and emanated with the sound of drums. Then there was a bar and couches and pool tables and TVs.

It was less of a club or a bar and more like some sort of clubhouse. The bar seemed to be serving food. On the second floor there were more couches, and some rooms that led off into other rooms.

But what really gave it away was the people.

Aliens and humans.

Aliens and humans holding hands and often cuddled up together on the couches.

He shot Sunny a look.

She just shook her head at him, and together they walked over to the bar.

Just off to their side a human was busily and delicately helping a Finnari to put on some sort of dark shaded glasses.

“That better, hun?’

“Yeah…. Yeah, that's better.” the Finnari hugged the woman, “I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for>”

“I know you can change how warm you are, and I’m sorry I have to wear the glasses….”

She just laughed and kissed the top of his head.

Adam cleared his throat awkwardly and tugged at the collar of his shirt.

They made it to the bar before anyone recognized them.

“Admiral!” He winced and turned around running into a familiar face at the bar, a familiar green mohawk and a small blue finnari.

Adam frowned, “I thought you were living on the Tesraki homeworld now.”

“We lease an apartment there for business, but we prefer it here…. So tell me, what are you guys doing here.”

He glanced at Sunny, “That’s what I’d like to know.”

She took a seat, “Just relaxing. It is our vacation after all.

Mohawk eyed them a little as Adam sat down reluctantly.

“Drinks on the house then.”

Beside him, the little Finnari waddled over handing up a cup of cucumber juice for Sunny.

The man looked at Adam,”Pick your poison.”

Adam shrugged, “Something girly and brightly colored that tastes good. If I’m going to get drunk it better be worth it.”

Mohawk grinned and got to work.

Another couple wandered over to the bar talking and laughing sliding into seats next to Adam and Sunny.

The human recognized him instantly and grabbed his hand to shake, “Admiral, Vir. I can’t believe you’re here! I can’t believe I get to meet you…. I…. well me and Hasan.” He turned to look over his shoulder at the large, silver Drev sitting next to him, “We owe you so much, the entire community owes you so much.”

Adam blinked, “I…. Well I mean…. I only did what anyone would….”

The man shook his head and waved a hand at him, no no, only you could do what you did and only you DID what you could.”

Adam shrugged not entirely sure what to say before…. “May I…. ask you a question.”

“Anything.”

“Friend of Adam. What does that mean?”

The man waved his hand, “Oh, it’s just a little coad we have for someone who is LFIL, you know so that we don’t have to say it out loud to someone we aren’t sure about.”

“Oh, I see.” he glanced back at the silver Drev listening quietly from behind, “And i’m assuming you are some sort of Kung Fu master…. Dating a Drev and all.”

“Official battle partners , actually.”

Adam raised an eyebrow, “You mean you’ve challenged-”

“Challenged him to the right of unarmed combat. Yes I did. You sure know a lot about Drev culture.”

“You forget, I am Sentinel of a Drev clan, and I spent a couple months training with one of the clans on Anin.:

The man grinned, “But yes to answer your question. I am a…. Sort of well known here on Noctropolis…. MMA fighter, though I also dabble in the use of medieval weapons.”

“Adam only had a little trouble believing that this overly talkative man could probably kick him six ways to sunday, but it seemed strange with his strong but silent type Drev partner who seemed just happy to listen and sip at his juice.

The Bar tender came back with a pink smoothie that Adam was sure had so much rum in it he wasn’t going to be able to feel his legs tomorrow, but it tasted pretty good and it included a crazy straw, so he was happy enough.

The man he had just been speaking to grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to his feet, “Come on, you need to come meet the others, they will be so excited to see you.”

He was tugged to his feet and went only a little hesitantly.

Sunny fell back and began talking with the silver Drev rapid fire.

He was dragged across the open floor to where a group of them was sitting around a low table.

A woman in a nicely recessed suit was sitting with her chin on her hands staring intently at the board.

A few rolls of the dice, and the little black-furred Tesraki stood feet on the table and pointed at her, “HA I win, eat your heart out sweetheart.”

“Not fair, if you hadn’t put hotels on the boardwalk, i would OWN your furry ass.”

The Tesraki waggled his ears at her

Adam couldn't help but bark out a laugh, “Are you playing monopoly…. Isn’t that dangerous to play if you want your relationship in tact?”

The Tesraki turned to look at him, walked across the table and then fell back into the arms of the wall dressed woman, looking rather smug as she wrapped her arms around him, “Not likely, human.” He patted the woman’s cheek, “my muse is one of the shrewdest business minds this side of the galaxy, and nothing is more attractive than pitting one financial mind against another.”

She stroked the fur on the top of his head.

Adam smiled but shook his head, looking around the room to where the others were staring at him.

He leared his throat, “uh….hi…. Sorry to intrude we just….”

That is when the cheers started up and he was pulled into the group with the others. He shook a bunch of hands before things settled back down.

A finnari and a human were curled up across the circle.

Silver drev and his battle partner were holding hands just to their right, and Adam was feeling a little more than awkward sitting, back straight hands clasped politely before him like he was sitting at church.

“Forgive me for asking, Admiral. I know it might be a sensitive subject, but everyone here in the clubhouse know each other, and we…. Well we have been wondering for a while. Well, we know you are supportive of us, of course, but we wonder if maybe you have other…. Reasons.” They glanced at Sunny

He felt his neck turn red, and tried to cover it by pulling his jacket up.

He glanced at Sunny and she leaned in to speak to him, “I think you should tell them.”

HE frowned at her.

“Just hear me out before you shoot it down. “I know you're stressed trying to keep it secret, and these people have a code of conduct. They won’t tell anyone. I just think it would be good to get it off our chests for once to people who will finally understand.”

He could see her point of course, but still. He wasn’t sure. Just thinking about saying it oud-loud was causing his chest to tighten up a bit. He had been fighting to hide this for a while now, and it was sort of just habit.

The group stared at him.

Hopeful expressions almost.

They were waiting for him.

But how was it that despite being with Sunny, he didn’t feel like one of them. The guilt was enough to galvanise him into action. He cleared his throat and sat up “well, not when I made the speech to the GA, no….”

They seemed to wilt.

“But,”

They all lifted their heads in anticipation, “I….. Sunny and I are….. Dating.”

The word fell from his lips like a led weight. His head felt suddenly light, and the room around them burst into sound and color as the group of them rose to their feet cheering. Someone slapped him on the back.

He could barely hear.

“Feels good doesn’t it, to finally say something to people who understand. DRINKS FOR EVERYONE!”

The group was smiling and laughing, “Come on, you don’t have to hide here.:

“Hold her hand!”

“Yeah.”

He caved, even though his hand was shaky and slick with sweat.

More cheering

He felt as if he was drunk, or drugged. As if he had stepped out of himself. Inside his stomach churned and swarmed with insects.

“Kiss her.” Someone else urged.

The group laughed, but took up the call. Blushing like red as a cherry he leaned up and gave her a quick kiss on the bheek before sitting back down.

Thanks for them, they sensed his nervousness and backed off.

Sunny hummed with pleasure.

He still felt lightheaded.

He could hear them talking but wasn’t sure what about.

Eventually Sunny got up with one of the other drev, and the two of them stepped over to a circle on the floor to have a friendly contest with spears.

Adam was left alone.

The partner of the Drev Sunny was fighting came to sit next to him looking over at the circle, “Pretty amazing aren't they….. Beautiful.”

He nodded lethargically before, “Can I…. make a confession?”

The group was interested and leaned in, he felt their eyes on him. He rubbed the back of his neck, “I… I really do…. Thank you all for… the encouragement but…. well . I have to admit that I….I’ve never really…. Felt like one of you.”

They seemed surprised but were interested to listen.

“What do you mean?”

“I…. well…. This is going to sound strange, but I’m not….. Actually…. Attracted to aliens.”

They stared at him confused.

He sighed and shook his head, “It's… complicated.”

“We’re listening.”

“I…. it's not the fact that she’s a Drev….. I would love Sunny if she were a Tesraki, or a Finnari, or a human. I’m not attracted to Drev as a hole, but Sunny….just Sunny. That’s it she’s the only one.”

There was silence for a moment, and for a second he thought he had offended them, but then.

“Aww, that’s so sweet.”

“I understand.”

“Yeah I can see that, but either way you are more than welcome here.”

He was surprised, and after that little exchange, he relaxed a little and smiled, taking a sip of his pink smoothie using his crazy straw.

Sunny was right, it did feel a little better to get off his chest.

And for Sunny, things felt better as well. Finally she had someone she could share with about humans. At one point the aliens and humans split off into groups, the humans living on nostalgic childhood games meant to cause pain.

Sunny sat with the others.

“And the mood swings with humans.” Someone was saying.

“Tell me about it. They go from angry to cuddly to horny in about two seconds flat.”

Sunny snorted, “Can’t say I’ve seen the last one, but the first two, yeah it's a bit of a roller coaster. No wonder they’re always exhausted.”

“Really, you’ve never seen the third one.”

“Adam is a bit…. Shy I think, It’ll probably take him a while.”

“Well you are in for a surprise when he does. Humans are a bit insane.”

One of the Drev huffed, “That’s a good thing I’d say.”

The group laughed and then, “Ok but does anyone else’s human get angry when they are hungry?”

A chorus of yesses.

Sunny sighed, “Oh yes, when your human is 6,2 and 210 lbs and often forgets to eat because he’s so busy. It is a common occurrence. Then he will try to argue with me when I go to feed him that he doesn't have time and he's stressed, and I tell him that he will feel better when he eats, but NO I’m the crazy one.”

One of the Tesraki smiled, “I find there are a few ways to remedy this. Number one, is that I have stashed snacks in all the vehicles and locations that we own. Barring that, I make it a habit to hide currency in her pockets so when she randomly finds a credit it makes her day. She doesn’t know I do this.”

Sunny smiled, “I have a friend who is a doctor, and he once made me read a paper about a human scientist Pavlov, who talked about conditioning, that if you associate certain stimuli with others you can cause a specific reaction. So I make sure to play this one very specific song when we spend time together or cuddle or something, so when he’s stressed I discreetly turn it on,and either he relaxes or he comes to me for comfort.”

The group ohed at her genius and she felt rather smug.

That was until loud laughter rang out across the room, and the group of them turned to see humans standing on the bar… or specifically one human standing on the bar dancing stupidly.

She sighed, “yep, that one is mine.”

It was good to see him loosen up at little though and he was more than happy to be dragged around by her. She even forced him to come dance with her, and some of the others joined in. Flashing lights and bodies pressed tight together in a semi darkness. Aliens and humans.

All that while the humans were slowly getting drunker.

Thought that all lead to an impromptu karaoke session with most of the humans singing horrible off tune in their drunken state.

Interesting how humans could suddenly become so bad at speaking when drunk.

Adam did pretty well though for someone who got dared to sing Burning Love, which he did pretty well despite sounding absolutely nothing like Elvis -- though to be honest, Sunny wasn’t a big fan of Elvis anyway and preferred Adam’s version. But that might also have been for the eye contact he held with her on occasion, allowing her to think maybe the song was for her.

A fact that made her secretly very happy.

Adam got more socially confident when he was drunk.

It seemed odd to her that he could be such an extroverted person who was very charismatic some times, but in other situations he could barely string two words together.

Either way, looking around at other people’s humans she couldn't help but be a bit smug. Yeah sure their humans were fit, but her human was the best. In her opinion, he had the brightest UV stripes, the prettiest eyes, and the nicest smile. Not to mention that she would bet money he could win in a fight against the other humans .

Unbeknownst to her, a similar conversation was happening across the room with the humans, accept it was out loud.

“I mean she’s fine, my boy is the best.”

Adam snorted, “Please, gold eyes and carapace the color of blue lightning. You can’t compete.”

“Mine is taller..”

“Mine is more huggable. The perfect height ratio, but have fun bringing a step stool around with you.”

“Don’t need one when he can pick me up.”

“She can pick me up too, so your point is irrelevant.”

He leaned back against the table, his voice slightly slurred as he stared across the room at her, where she was standing, demonstrating some sort of spear move to one of the other Drev.

His voice grew serious, “No woman, no Drev, no alien can compete with the sheer power, and grace. She is a phenomenal warrior, loyal…. Everything that is perfect.”

There was a pause, and then they all burst into a fit of drunken giggling.

By the end of the night most of the humans were passed out, or close to it. And the sober aliens walked over to collect their fallen human from the scattered bodies.

Someone ave Sunny a key, “Rooms upstairs.”

She nodded and thanked the bartender as she reached down and hoisted Adam up with her lower arms under his. He was probably going to have an intense hangover tomorrow, but now he looked rather peaceful in his sleep.

She waved at the other Drev doing the same thing to their humans. Occasionally helping one of the FInnari or Tesraki with a human that was too heavy.

She went upstairs and flopped him down on a bed. He didn’t wake up, but smiled in his sleep. She crawled up to lay next to him. She was glad that he had been able to relax. She had hoped finally admitting it to someone would help.

To be fair, she needed it too.

More than most could know.

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detroitbydark · 4 years

Text

Part 8

Characters: Commander Fox/Reader

Summary: things are getting interesting

Warnings: mentions of past smut but nothing really steamy.

A/N: this needs to be done as I’m tired of staring at it. I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Padme Amidala was a dream to work with; polite, considerate, appreciative. Truly one of the few people in the Galactic Senate that Fox truly enjoyed. Her ability to rally those around her to her cause and spark loyalty in her followers was something he couldn’t help but admire and though her strong willed personality had put them at odds at times (when keeping her safe out weighed her desire to throw herself headlong into danger) he would always consider himself a fan.

Which made it all the more irritating that he was on detail for Raxallian Thrug, the sniveling chakaar from Cantonica. Every vile cliche Fox had ever heard about politicians was on display in Thrug. Deceitful, underhanded, slimy- the list went on and on.

Fox stands at attention behind his current charge as he leans to the aide at his side and whispers what amounted to filth into his ear as Senator Amidala gave an impassioned plea for aide to the outer rim, heavily under siege from seppie forces.

Did Thrug not realize Fox could hear every disgusting comment he made about Amidala or did he simply not care what a clone may or may not hear. Clenching his hands into fists, Fox wasn’t sure what option bothered him more.

Trying to block the senator out he looks past him, scanning the crowd for any anomalies, anything that stood out or could indicate an issue.

Rule’s voice crackles through his helmet comms. “She’s really worked up over this”.

Aside from the HUD and the various other bells and whistles the buckets were equipped with, the ability for private comms was one of the biggest perks in Fox’s eyes. No one ever needed to know they were talking.

“Seems to be, yeah” he hums in agreement.

“She said to say ‘hi’ earlier. You think she’s got a crush too?” Rule teases.

Fox rolls his eyes behind his visor. He doesn’t justify that with a response. Padmé Amidala was not interested in the likes of him, she merely cared about those around her. Even if she did, his interest lay elsewhere.

Interest wasn’t the right word though was it? Not after what he’d done. Not after what he’d said. He’d said those words, those words, to not one other soul in his life. He honestly had never even thought about the phrase before he was quieting her with it. They had just been one of the many things he- and many other troopers- absorbed over time about their progenitor’s culture. Mando’a spread like wildfire when spoken in barracks and war zones across the galaxy. They were just men without history, without a background or roots, looking for meaning and belonging outside of someone else’s war.

He’d been supremely thankful (and also a little miffed) when she hadn’t questioned him any further on his amorous declaration. Hadn’t she even been curious? Obviously she didn’t feel the same. How could she?

He’d taken her in a way he’d only dreamt about, done something he had relegated to his most private fantasies. But she’d encouraged it. She’d asked for more. For more explanation, for more of everything. Even now the memory of spilling inside her, of the way she’d sobbed out her release and quaked in his arms sent a thrill through Fox. He was a man nursing a borderline obsession and it was going to end badly for the both of them if he wasn’t careful.

“Commander?” Rules voice breaks hesitantly into his thoughts.

“I hear you, Rule. Whatcha got?”

“I’m not sure sir. I just got a flash of something in quadrant three, northwest corner. HUD picked up a wonky looking heat signature.”

Fox’s eyes scan to the coordinates that pop up on his display, a balcony two levels above where he stood guard behind Thrug. It should have been unoccupied. That was the game plan, no guests above Guard eyesight.

“Ryk?” Fox’s voice is brisk as his mind starts working through the possibilities, adrenaline slowly seeping into his system. “Come stand with the good senator while I look into this.”

“Yes Commander?”

Fox has approximately three minutes to think of all the horrible possibilities. Snipers, Bombs, Seppie Sympathizers. Each one offers a new and more complicated amount of paperwork. And more headaches.

Always the headaches. They were getting worse each week. More frequent. More intense. More of a pain in his ass.

Mouse had noticed. Mouse always noticed. This morning she’d crawled over him, still only in his shirt, and gone digging through the ‘fresher cabinet til she’d found a bottle of pain pills. She’d come back with the bottle, water, and a cool cloth for his head. He would have fallen to his knees and worshipped her if his head hadn’t caused such a revolt. She’d laid with him, legs straddling his hips and body sprawled over his, before the sun came up and done her weird little miracle massage along his forehead even though he knew she was exhausted. It had helped but hadn’t cured him. Even now the dull ache followed him.

Ryk slips into Thrugs box and if the politician registers one clone has traded places with the other, Fox will be surprised.

He takes the steps up to the supposedly empty balcony dragging his deece from the holster as he gets to the door, eyes drop to the weapon to check settings. The door is slightly ajar and he can see a quick flash of movement through the crack.

He counts silently to three before his boot connects with the door control, slamming it open. It’s a tense moment as he finds himself face to face with the singing blue plasma blade of a lightsaber and a pair of blasters, identical to his, pointed dead center mass at his being.

“Commander Fox” Anakin Skywalker’s voice is cool as it greets him. The curse that escapes from Captain Rex at his side is less than formal.

“Fierfek, Fox…” he grumbles lowly, something Fox vaguely hears as something about shooting his shebs off.

General Skywalker retracts his blade and both clones lower their blasters, pausing for a tense moment before holstering the weapons.

“General. Captain. This area is off limits. If I may ask, why are you up here?” He aims for stern military Commander but he can’t help the cringe under his bucket as Skywalker raises a brow in his direction. “With all do respect General” he adds as on afterthought.

Rex must sense the brewing tension between the pair as he steps into speak for his general. “We were just trying to get a good spot to listen to Senator Amidala speak. We’re both fans.” A look passes between the pair that Fox can’t decipher. Skywalker rolls his eyes at his captain before turning back to Fox.

There was no love lost between the general and the Commander. Too much had happened that set their paths intersecting- and not for the better- for them to meet with anything but anxiety (from Fox) and thinly veiled contempt (from the Jedi).

The Jedi waves his hand dismissively turning his back to the clones. It raises the small hairs on the back of Fox’s neck. He should be used to this by now, the brush off, the outright disdain that he and his men had been forced to become accustomed too. In the name of obedience and loyalty he has to handle the general’s brush off with an acceptance that he doesn’t feel.

He turns stiffly as the roar of the crowd rises up to them. A quick glance over his shoulder shows Skywalker staring down at the young Senator with a look in his eyes that felt, at once, both foreign and all too familiar to Fox.

“Fox?” Rex’s voice rises over the sounds below. “I was wondering if I could talk to you? I was going to just stop at your office but since your here now-“

Fox’s bucket cocks to the side. anything Rex has to say to him wouldn’t be in front of the Jedi. “my office is fine. I’ll be there all afternoon”

Rex looks as if he’s about to argue but he stops and gives him a nod of affirmation. There was history between them and if something had to come of it then it would be on Fox’s terms. In private.

“Commander? You ok?” Ryk’s voice crackles through his helmet comms.

“Yeah, Ryk, nothing worth seeing here.”

———-

Your body throbs dully, the pleasant soreness from last night sending a shiver down your spine each time you think back on it. Everytime you think of Fox your body reacts, a warm flush of color to your cheeks or a full feeling in your chest that can only be one thing. Kriff. You were in deep and you couldn’t help the smile that played on your lips when you thought about him.

You move through the cafeteria line, slowly gathering a few things for a light lunch. You weren’t particularly hungry but you grab a sandwich and a bag of protato chips along with a small cup of fruit. And the largest mug of caf available because you were exhausted. Fox had not let you be done after your initial romp. Your cheeks flame hot as you remember waking in the middle of the night to his tongue lapping are your cunt and the soft groans he made between praising you for taking him so well and telling you how much he wanted to have you again and again.

You wonder if anyone can tell the filthy thoughts you're having, how you were remembering Fox cleaning up his release that had leaked from your overly full core.

You needed a cold shower. Or your Commander.

“Mouse!” Sargent Wren elbows through a trio of troopers to get to you. He smiles brightly as he places his own food on your tray and takes it from you. “I’ll carry that.”

You give it up, knowing that there was no use in arguing. Wren falls in at your side as he grabs a pair of ration bars and adds it to the tray.

“For later” he explains. You’d never in your life seen people that could put away so much food. Hound had once explained it was due to a higher than normal metabolism and, while they’d been engineered to run on the dense ration bars alone, if given the option, each clone could put away seemingly half his weight in food at each meal. Nearly every one you’d met had a viscous sweet tooth on top of it. You’d learned the hard way after the candy stash you’d kept in your desk drawer had been discovered and raided but a group of “unknown perpetrators“.

Ryk and Rule had promised to look into it, Rule with bits of chocolate still clinging to his lip.

“All by yourself today?” Wren asks conversationally as the pair of you find an unoccupied table. You know what he’s asking. You’ll have to inform Fox that the pair of you were the worst kept secret in the Guard.

“Senator Amidala had a speech today. He’s pulling protection detail.”

“With Amidala?” Wren has shoved a large bite of sandwich in his mouth and struggles to swallow as he asks the question. You push a canteen of water to him.

“No. Thrug I believe.” The Sargent makes a sound of understanding as he gulps down a drink. He coughs once as the food goes down.

“That sounds about right. Since The incident with Skywalker’s Padawan he hasn’t been pulling detail with the senator. Word is General Skywalker is a bit protective over her. Unfortunately the Commander is a two time loser in the generals eyes.”

The fruit in your cup is a bit too ripe, but you eat it regardless, chewing thoughtfully. Wren is right. You hadn’t noticed the change but now that it was pointed out you wonder how you’d missed it. Maybe Fox wasn’t the only one carrying on an unheard of affair, not that you could blame the Jedi. You’d only met once (and for a second at that) but you’d found Padmé Amidala to be courteous and warm, much more like senators Chuchi and Organa than the loud blustering career politicians from other worlds.

You keep your mouth shut. If you'd learned one thing it was best to stay out of matters involving Jedi. Public opinion on the war and the order itself had been wavering as of late. Your concern was with Fox and the men of the Coruscant Guard and while what happened with the Senate and the war would affect them on a grand scale you’d come to terms with the fact that you couldn’t control that. You could, however, control things in their daily lives. Make things easier in little ways. It was a small consolation but it was what you could offer.

It was more than some, who claimed to be for clone rights, did. A glance around the cafeteria shows the self segregation, clones and civilian contractors at separate tables not mixing or interacting. A group of troopers to your right argues good naturedly in Mando’a. Wren smothers a smile as he listens in.

“What’s so funny?”

Wren looks up at you, confusion then clarity lights his face, “just a joke” he gestures toward the other clones. “It’s stupid” he dismisses.

You huff a breath. Maybe you wanted to hear a stupid joke. Not for the first time you wished you knew the language the troopers bantered in.

“Really Mouse it’s not even that funny. Like, ‘your mother’ jokes? We don’t even have mothers.” Wren rapidly tries to explain and hold up your hand for him to stop.

“It’s fine. I get it. You’d think I’d have picked up some Mando’a by this point anyway.”

Wren shrugs as if agreeing with you. “I could teach you a few words if you want?” He offers. He waits while you think. “Come on” he presses.

You shrug, “ok, cyar’ika” you throw back at him.

His flashes a toothy grin, “easy- and I can guess where you’ve been hearing that one- beloved, darling. It’s a term of endearment but I’m sure you’ve learned that by now.”

You fight back a blush, hiding behind a big gulp of caf. “Something like that.”

He goes on unprompted with simple words for child, mother/father, outsiders, Jedi. You try to burn each into your memory.

“Al’verde Fox” he offers and you shrug.

“Leader Fox?”

“Close! Very close Mous’ika” Wren is an enthusiastic teacher. He makes an encouraging gesture with his hands, “try again”.

You think carefully before your next attempt, “Commander Fox?”

Wren slaps his hand against the table with a laugh. You jump slightly at the loud noise. “Yes! Good job! Now” he offers, “you tell me something and I’ll translate it”

The words don’t even pause at your lips before they slip out. Your accent is atrocious and you're not sure if it comes out correct. “Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum”.

The phrase catches Wren mid-drink and he seems to choke before he’s able to swallow down the liquid on his mouth. “Wow.”

“Wow?”

“Yes, wow” he sobers “wanna tell me where you heard that doozy? Or should I guess?”

“Well are you going to tell me what it means or what?”

“Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum” he repeats, the words flowing off his tongue easily and without the stilted tone you’d used “I know you forever” he says softly.

It’s a pretty phrase and you say as much.

“Pretty is an understatement. It’s the Mando equivalent to a declaration of love.”

———

Fox paces his office floor as he flips through screen after screen of requisitions. This was the part of his job he hated most. The supply clerk was in charge of getting all orders together, but as Commander, he had to give final authorization for every order going through. It was mind numbing, monotonous.

A soft knock comes mid step and he gives a sharp bark to enter. Between dealing with Thrug, his unexpected run in with Skywalker and the Captain of the 501st, and the new stress inducing realization of the depth of his emotions for his little Mouse,Fox feels off-kilter. He doesn’t like it.

Mouse enters bearing a ration bar, a mug, and a smile that makes him forget his raw nerves.

“Caf?” He asks enthusiastically. She shakes her head and gives him a skeptical smile.

“Tea. A little less stimulating this late in the afternoon.” She sets both on his desk before leaning against the duraplast and taking him in.

“What?”

Something soft tugs at the corner of her mouth. She shrugs, “just wondering why you're trying to wear a tread through the floor. That’s all.”

The eye roll he gives is big and dramatic and she chuckles quietly. He moves to the desk, tossing the datapad down. It doesn’t take much to work her bottom back onto the surface and step between her legs. She looks hesitant, staring up at him, her lip between her teeth in that telling way of hers.

“Something wrong, Cyar’ika?” Gently, his gloved hand cups her cheek and she tips softly into it. He places a soft kiss on the crown of her head before her eyes flutter shut. She’s so kriffing soft. He scarcely believes he’s allowed to handle anything so delicate and fragile. Fox’s fingers slip to her chin and angle her mouth up to him.

“Was your day really that bad?” She probes. Fox can feel her feet hooking behind his knees and pulling in til he was flush with her body.

“S’much better now” he’s being purposefully evasive. Mouse didn’t need to worry about the things that had been weighing heavily on him, nor did he want her to realize that she was one of them. He slides his mouth over hers, sharing his breath and taking in hers in return in a soft reverent meditation masquerading as a kiss. Being wrapped up in his precious girl does seem to make everything better, the tension pressing in on his chest eases. The soft sigh that slips past her lips as his teeth nip at her is the best thing he’s heard all day.

One hand splays across his chest while the other grips behind his neck. She mewls sweetly as his tongue tastes her. Sweet girl tastes like caf-

“Commander Fox-“ Fox has missed the tell-tale slide of the door and curses mentally.

Mouse makes a distressed noise as the deep voice cuts through the room. She pushes ineffectively against Fox’s chest as he squeezes his eyes shut. Fox doesn’t move as Mouse scoots back enough to slip her legs from around him and rise to her feet. She looks up wide-eyed and accusing, as if he’d orchestrated the whole thing. Her cheeks are a vivid shade of pink. Her look is one of absolute embarrassment.

He wants to lean in and kiss her swollen lips again, tell her there’s nothing to fear or worry about because he had her. Of course, he can’t do that but it doesn’t stop him from wanting to. He watches as she smooths her skirt and mutters something about getting back to work.

Fox can feel eyes burning into his back. He knew the voice as well as he knew his own. Some believed that clones were interchangeable but any person who’d spent any amount of time should be able to tell him or Rex from their other vode. Little things like accents they’d picked, how they worded their thoughts. How they carried themselves.

“Captain Rex. It’s customary to knock before entering.” Fox spins to see his visitor turning away from his furiously blushing secretary as she scurries past him and out the door.

“My deepest apologies” What Rex says and his tone don’t exactly match up. Fox has a feeling he’s given the Captain free entertainment and a serious bit of gossip to bring back to the front. “I was unaware you were preoccupied with- such an important engagement.”

Fox smiles, a thing full of teeth and thinly veiled menace. “I can understand how you wouldn’t understand such things, ner vod.”

Rex’s helmet shakes and Fox can hear the quick huff of dark laughter that filters through his vocoder before he’s reaching up to remove his helmet. “I'm really sorry about that. You looked like you were enjoying yourself.”

“I was” Fox agrees, moving to sit at his desk and motioning for Rex to sit across from him. He hesitates a moment and Fox wonders if he’s ever been offered a seat in any meeting. Is he relegated to standing over the shoulder of Skywalker like a well healed akk dog? He doesn’t ask. “What can I do for you today?”

Rex sits straight, his face a composed mask. This wasn’t a social call though that was no different from any interactions they’d had before.

“I need to apologize for the incident with my shinies.” The stiff pseudo apology catches Fox off guard. He sits quietly for a moment. The two clones staring at one another.

“Ok.”

“Ok? That’s it?” Rex’s voice is wary.

“Am I supposed to throw a fit? Yell and scream that I want their buckets on a platter? What would you have me say Captain?” Fox pinches the bridge of his nose, “look I get it. Trust me. Since-“ he angles away from the other clone. “I get I’m not ever going to win a popularity contest and yeah, it was not kriffing fun. Actually, it was about the least amount of fun I’ve had in a while but what am I supposed to demand? Demotion? Reconditioning?”

Rex flinches at the last word.

“Exactly” Fox feels as if he’s made his point. “So if that’s all you wanted…” he lets the words hang in the air between them. Rex closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

“That’s not it.”

Fox can feel what’s coming next, always knew it would come.

“I need to know about that day. I need to know why you killed Fives.”

The Captain’s stare is unyielding and Fox feels like he’s under a microscope, rigid and without escape while the clone across from him dissects each move and every word he’s about to say. He’s never backed down for a fight in his life but right now, right here? He wants to do nothing more than get away.

“He had a gun.” Fox draws a steadying breath but his voice comes out shaky and he's disgusted at his own weakness washes over him. “I told him to stand down. I told him to get on his knees. Even after he grabbed the kriffing thing I told him not to do it. I-“

“Why didn’t you just stun him” Rex’s voice rises above his, anger bleeding into every word as he leans forward, planting his hands on the desk as he rises to his feet.

The invasion of space throws Fox off. He rolls his shoulders briefly trying to ease the tension that was growing there. The spot behind his eyes throbs. “The settings were wrong. I- I don’t know how but the kriffing setting was wrong.”

“And I’m supposed to believe that”

Something in the arch of the captain’s brow, the accusatory nature of what he was in insinuating sparks white hot rage in Fox’s chest. The photos on the wall rattle as he rises to his feet, his fist meeting the wall behind him.

“What are you saying?!”he asks turning on the blonde clone. “Are you inferring that I had it out for him? A vod I’d never met? That I went looking to kill a brother?”

Rex flinches back. Fox’s knuckles throb. He focuses on the growing ache, uses it to stay grounded. His voice is low, a pained snarl.

“His death will never leave me. I pulled the trigger that ended his life. Do you know- can you understand what that feels like?”

“He said this was bigger than us” Rex pushes on, seemingly paying no mind to what Fox had said.

“And that means I was in on a conspiracy?”

“Damn it, Fox” Rex growls, “you said you don’t know how your blaster ended up throwing bolts!”

Something about that catches Fox right in the gut, steals air from his lungs. As quickly as his rage had swollen it subsides and he’s left to sink back down to his desk, forehead cradled in his head.

“Bigger than us” he repeats Rex’s words- Fives words- quietly.

“He mentioned a conspiracy to Kix” the blonde clone doesn’t sit but he’s posture loosens.

“Conspiracy?”

“Something that went all the way to the top. Said the clones and the Jedi were in great danger.”

“Tell me more.”

#commander fox/reader #commander fox x reader #commander fox #cc 1010 #clone wars

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whoisaditya · 3 years

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A love letter to The Wombats

First, a brief background about The Wombats: The Wombats is an interesting English Indie Rock Band. They started back in 2003 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The most interesting thing about them is how experimental they are with their albums — considering their vast range. One might think that The Wombats don’t care about what you and I think. They care about their art and what that represents. This is what makes them free to do whatever they want. Now, the album that I want to talk about is some of their earlier work. It was released back in 2007. Damn, that feels like an eternity ago. So let’s begin our journey.

The first track: Tales of Girls, Boys and Marsupials. For me, this track prepares you for what’s to come. It is a good melody and relatively simple. I’ve always enjoyed it because of how strange it is. From this, we move onto the second track.

Kill the Director. This is the song that brought me to the album, and for a long time, it was one of the most played songs for me on Spotify. When I think of this song, I think of the music video which you should watch. The song is different from the first track, and it is faster and has a lot of content. My favourite things are British pop culture references. The nods to Bridget Jones’s Diary and EastEnders make this a quintessentially British song.

Track 3: Moving to New York, this song has always been close to my heart because it is edgy. It tells us what the British think of American cities like New York. I have always had trouble understanding this song due to multiple reasons. Even right now while I’m reading the lyrics and thinking about what to write about them, I am confused. If you look at it literally, the song talks about sleeplessness and Christmas for some reason. Now, let me tell you what I feel about it. This has always been a song to which I headbang and do the air guitar. I never really understood the lyrics. I probably never will. Though, my favourite part has been these lines.

“I put one foot forward and ended up 30 yards back.

Am I losing touch, or am I just completely off the track?

And I don’t know why I want to voice this out loud.

It’s therapeutic somehow.”

Especially the line, “Am I losing touch or am I just completely off track”. Back when I first heard this song, the pandemic was at its peak. I was preparing for entrances, and life was a mess. I related to this, and I’m sure you guys will as well. This song will make you feel things and reconsider life as a whole.

Now, moving onto track 4, Lost in the Post. This is the most popular song on the album. The song sounds surprisingly happy, but when you pay attention, the lyrics are depressing. It is my kind of music because it tells us a story with a catchy chorus. The line that has stuck with me is “She Wanted Mary Poppins but I took her to King Lear”. It represents so much more than you and I can comprehend. It represents not being enough and a theme of overcompensation followed by under-compensation. Its a simple song but the Wombats have done a good job of packing it with references. It is a song about insecurities and love, the two things that are fundamental to any artist.

Track 5: Party in a Forest(Where’s Laura?). Laura, oh, Laura. I will never truly understand this song. Is it a love letter to Laura or is it a desperate man singing for a girl who will never love him back? Throughout the song, he keeps calling out to Laura, but there’s no response. By the end of it, it seems like he has almost given up. Maybe I’m just reading too much into music, or perhaps this boy is writing songs about a gender he doesn’t understand.

Track 6 is something most of us can relate to. Titled “Schools Uniform”, it is literally from the perspective of a teenage boy going through puberty. It is not the typical “Oh. I miss school” song, but maybe a more realistic approach to what school was. Those uniforms, which most of us claim to miss, perhaps made a joke of us. He sings about a girl he likes and who he used to be friends with, but now she has an older boyfriend. The most important thing about this song is how teens romanticise/think that smoking is cool. It’s the whole trope of doing something because someone else is doing it. After all, someone has deemed it cool. The song does an excellent job of talking about how teenagers try their best to fit in to get the validation they so desperately want. This is generally executed by doing things that most of the time is not good for them, and here ends track 6.

Moving on to track 7, the song I’m most excited to write about. Here Comes the Anxiety is the epitome of a cry for help. It is probably the most painful to listen to because it doesn’t even hide that it is sad. I have to give it credit for being honest about its message. In a messed up way, this taught me how to be honest about myself. The song starts by calling out what I think is all music where creators hide the real message behind catchy hooks and other techniques. The essence of the song is hypocritical; it has a catchy hook line(It is literally in the title). The song is just lying to you; it tries to sell an honest image, but it is not. Don’t get me wrong, it is a good song, but it is just like everything else. It is a dark song like it claims to be. It is a song about a lonely man who doesn’t want to be alone, and that’s about it for track 7.

Let’s Dance to Joy Division is one of my favourite songs. So, I have a sort of personal bias towards it. It is happy and real but also quite sad. The lines

“Everything is going wrong but we’re so happy” perfectly captures the essence of this kind of music. It is happy music, so don’t question it. You don’t need to be comfortable while listening to it, maybe sing along and pretend that your life isn’t going to shit. My interpretation of this song is, you shouldn’t question life while it is happening. If something has to go wrong, it probably will, so why even worry about it. Just be happy and maybe play this on a loop.

Track 9 is Backfire at the Disco. It describes a heterosexual first date. A guy gets ready at 8 pm, meets the girl and then gets slapped. The story is pretty straightforward. The guy makes a move at the wrong time. The girl slaps him in response and has to go back home alone at 3 am. What’s important to me isn’t the story but how it’s told. The song starts with how everything is fine and how it is all going okay. It sounds like the girl is in the wrong and that we should feel bad for the guy. The song gets pretty misogynistic when he calls her dress whorish. To give him some credit, he does admit his mistake by the end, but then it is too late, and the narrative has been set. This victimisation of the perpetrator is extremely harmful. It creates a story that men don’t know what to do and how it is an honest mistake. This message is toxic, and anyone listening to this should keep this in mind.

Little Miss Pipedream describes a toxic one-sided relationship. The song is comparatively slower-paced, where the stress is on the lyrics. The song expects us to feel sympathy for this man who is madly in love with this girl. The protagonist is portrayed as a friendly guy who is willing to wait for this girl. This man has selfish ideas of love, and he’s trying to convince the listeners to sympathise with him. These ideas are selfish because they are all based around him. Lyrics like, “Don’t leave miss pipedream cause I love you.” is an example of what is incorrect with this song. Pop culture has often romanticised these ideas and portrayed these men as heroes.

Track 11 is about a therapist named Dr Susan. It is clear that Dr Susan is treating and is prescribing him narcotics. He is infatuated with her and is willing to do anything for her. This is clearly some toxic behaviour. The singer keeps repeating “This Time” which means that he has done this before. The most concerning thing is “Help Me Help Help Me, Susan”. We can see a theme where he asks for help but no one gives it to him and there ends track 11.

Track 12 is about loving a woman who doesn’t want to be loved. The singer has fallen in love with a stripper and is willing to do anything to be with her. His behaviour indicates that he has lost track of reality. In his head, his actions are part of a grander love story but it is psychotic behaviour. This is ironic cause the last song was about a therapist. He clearly knows what he is doing is wrong but he still continues to do so. This entire song does a good job of showing a messed up, toxic relationship between a desperate man and a stripper.

The story of Track 13 is set at the wedding of the protagonist’s ex-girlfriend. It does something unusual by portraying alcoholic tendencies at a wedding. The lyrics make it clear that he still has some feelings for his ex-girlfriend. I don’t know where the blame lies on this one because of the conflicting narratives. The repetition of the line, “She’s not that beautiful” shows us his hatred towards the bride and how our emotions are more complex than they seem. One would assume that after all this time he wouldn’t resent his old partner but he does. This is because humans are complicated and irrational and there’s nothing we can do about it. This also shows how when we are with someone everything seems romantic but when they leave we criticise all their actions. To conclude, the song is quite entertaining and definitely worth listening to.

If you have read this until now and not skimmed as most people will, you must be thinking that all these songs sound somewhat similar. It’s a simple boy loves girl plot which is portrayed in multiple different settings. Before I started writing this, I thought that I would have something unique to write about each song, but I don’t. As I moved on from track to track, I realised that most of these are about the same thing. Does this mean the songs are not great? No, of course not, they are amazing. Each track is unique and has a storyline, the music is good, and that’s why people enjoy it. Music is subjective, and at the end of the day, my opinion means jackshit. Yeah, enjoy the music; I hope what I wrote made you think and introspect about the music you listen to.

#thewombats #british music #Indie

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melissalfinch · 4 years

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My Journey From Theism to Agnosticism

I’m going to explain to you a few reasons why religion no longer works for me with supportive quotes from Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Socrates, and Sigmund Freud among other cultural inspirations. This is not going to be about my personal, scandalous, and fabricated experiences in a controversial sex cult because I haven’t had any, but I have witnessed enough to convince myself and others that they do exist. I’m not going to get into the details of the ugly, mentally abusive conversations I’ve been a part of and overheard in various congregations from different faiths. You will not get to gawk in entertainment at my explicit memories of the self-doubt, shame, and brainwashing from what leaders referred to as healthy chastisement, which only led to self-deprecation, depression, and arrogance towards those who did not share my faith. I choose not to get into the heartbreaking details over my loss of friends and pets, and the damage it inflicted on my family relationships, job losses that resulted, and the regretful religion-based decisions that I made. I choose not to get into those details in order to keep my own tear ducts dry. Composing this article the way it’s going to be presented has already required a substantial amount of bravery, causing months of procrastination and even nausea as I type.

With that stated, let’s get down to it. After reading two very informative books on agnosticism and atheism, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens, both world-renowned atheists, and watching a some of their debates, I’ve been able to pull out profound quotes that I can relate to from my very core and which support my own theories that question faith and that question the health of adopting a religion.

First off, I’m going to discuss the subject of preaching. I am convinced that people use others to solidify their own faith by bringing them on board and plugging into their heads the conviction they lack. In their passionate preaching efforts, it seems that they are trying to convince themselves more than anyone else. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krsna says to Arjuna that Krsna will carry in other devotees what they lack, but I have found in most preaching efforts that religious followers are attempting to force into others what they themselves lack.

Let’s consider the subject of death for a detailed example. In Dawkins’ book The God Delusion, he points out:

“Polls suggest 95 percent of the population of the US believe they will survive their own death. I can’t help but wonder how many people who claim such belief really, in their hearts, hold it. If they were truly sincere, shouldn’t they all behave like the Abbot of Ampleforth? When Cardinal Basil Hume told him that he was dying, the abbot was delighted for him: ‘Congratulations! That’s brilliant news. I wish I was coming with you.’”

It surely has to make you wonder: are people insincere with their religion or more fearful of the process of death? Dawkins elaborates further on the subject by saying:

“It is a striking fact that if you meet someone opposed to mercy killing, or passionately against assisted suicide, you can bet a good sum they’ll turn out to be religious. Why deem it a sin if you sincerely believe you are accelerating a journey to heaven?”

Hitchens further exemplifies my point in his book by recalling how, when he was thirteen, the headmaster of his grade school in Dartmoor, England, said to him during a no-nonsense conversation:

“You may not see the point of all this faith now, but you will one day when you start to lose loved ones.”

Hitchens concludes:

“Why that would be as much as saying that religion might not be true, but nevermind that, since it can be relied upon for comfort.”

Which brings me to a question we should all ask ourselves: what’s more important, truth or comfort? I confess I still do not have a firm answer to that question, but I will say in my own modest attempt at wisdom, if you rely on something that may not necessarily be true but gives you comfort, down the road you will be more likely to question that very thing. Such doubt makes your comfort temporary and can have a reverse effect, often resulting in anger and regret.

To further support this theory, I’ll use what I found as a profound statement according to Hitchens’ take on Freud in The Future Of An Illusion, where he describes the religious impulse as:

“essentially ineradicable until or unless the human species can conquer its fear of death and its tendency to wish- thinking.”

The idea of practicing a religion out of fear and daydreaming simply no longer sits well with me nor others who tell me they have had similar experiences and have decided to leave religion behind. However, the group of atheists and agnostics I relate to is still in the minority, and many are afraid to admit it in a world still governed by religion.

In addition to specious faiths revealed through preaching and fears of death, we can also see that those pious leaders who chastise their congregations for sins and offenses are often the most guilty and ashamed of committing the same proclaimed abominations.

“The policeman who lashes the whore has a hot need to use her for the very offense for which he plies the leash.” (Shakespeare, King Lear)

I do not need to exhaust the hypocritical details of the acts of religious figures and dogmas to prove my point. You can spend hours and hours of your own time researching documents from various Judeo-Christian faiths criminalizing clergymen and other supposed divinely proclaimed leaders who have committed the same unspeakable crimes for which they condemn their flock.

After watching the 2019 film The Two Popes starring Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce, I heard Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (played by Pryce), who wishes to resign as archbishop, sadly admit, “The bigger the sinner, the warmer the welcome,” as if to poorly justify the behavior of imperfect people.

Now the question often arises, do we fight it? Do we fight organized religion the way organized religion has fought among itself in a similar sectarian manner? Nineteenth century German poet, writer, and literary critic Heinrich Heine, whose many works have been banned by German authorities, says in his work Gedanken Und Einfälle (Thoughts And Ideas):

“In dark ages people are best guided by religion, as in a pitch-black night a blind man is the best guide; he knows the roads and paths better than a man who can see. When daylight comes, however, it is foolish to use blind old men as guides.

Shouldn’t we use our knowledge of science to advance and not simply rely on fairy tales and fiction for all the answers?”

Marx critiques Hegel’s Philosophy Of Right by saying:

“Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people.”

Surely we can admit the dangers of such an addictive drug.

In perhaps my favorite bold and simple statement on the matter, Hitchens paraphrases Socrates when he says:

“I do not know for certain about death and the gods but I am certain as I can be that you do not know either.”

I also reject the arrogance of such people who insist on the validity of their holy scriptures no matter how polite and endearing their character may seem during their attempts to persuade.

Hitchens concludes in his book God Is Not Great:

“Know the enemy and prepare to fight it.”

In conclusion, I refer to Deborah Feldman’s autobiographical memoir, Unorthodox: the Scandalous Rejection Of My Hasidic Roots, on which the limited Netflix series Unorthodox is based. Ester Shapiro, remarkably played by Shira Haas, explains when asked why she left her Hasidic Jew tradition, “God expected too much of me. Now I need to find my own path.”

My tears flowed during the viewing of that moment. For me, it has also been a painful process for my faith to change and to leave something I once felt so sure about. I often say that I broke up with God because the interrogation and grief I’ve received from others can easily be compared to a long breakup with a significant other.

In The Two Popes, Pope Benedict XVI, played by Anthony Hopkins, is also considering leaving his faith. He says, “I no longer wish to be a salesman.” The outreach conversion programs in the congregations in which I participated with always made me feel like I needed a shower.

In another conversation, Hopkins’ Pope states, “Change is compromise.”

Later on he admits, “The hardest thing is to listen, to hear God’s voice.” Whoever really hears God’s voice?”

One last quote I’ll share from Hitchens:

“God did not create man in his own image. Evidently, it was the other way about, which is the painless explanation for the profusion of gods and religions, and the fratricide both between and among faiths, that we see all about us and that has so retarded the development of civilization.”

Through my own life experiences, I’ve really seen the faults in humanizing our creator, this God we all talk about. People have let me down, broken my heart, misled me, misinformed me, betrayed me, violated me, and manipulated me. As I progressed in following a religion that egotistically humanizes God, I found their God also disappointing me, breaking my heart and misinforming me.

I find more ease in life simply not having all the answers, but enjoying wonderment in the science of nature simply for the sake of wonderment. As someone close to me once said:

“Dragonflies are more fascinating than gods.”

#atheism #agnostism #athiest #religion #richard dawkins #christopher hitchens #agnostic #blog writing #faith and spirituality #god #questioneverything #anti religion

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jemej3m · 5 years

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to the moon and back (p1)

a softer high school au because i love high school aus fuck off i know ive written like ten

also, boys like you (by Who Is Fancy) is a gay vibe and is absolutely the vibe of this fic

part one | part two | part three

Andrew swung his legs from where he was sitting on the picnic table, glaring at Renee sitting beneath him. She grinned with crossed legs, pushing at his feet so they would swing.

Andrew, spiteful as ever, didn’t move unless he had to. Moving was motion and motion caught people’s attention and if Andrew gave him the chance, Kevin would continue to plead with him on refusing to join the exy team.

His brother was on it. His best friends were on it. They played a tonne of cute guys from other schools. That was Kevin’s pathetic attempt at appealing to Andrew, to which Andrew had taken his shiny, new pocket knife and stabbed it into the school cafeteria’s table by Kevin’s clenched fist.

It was only the four at this table - Renee, Kevin, Aaron and himself - who knew about Andrew being gay, and Betsy -- of course.

He’d backed off after that, but Kevin’s cool-down period for pissing Andrew off was irritatingly short. He sat, barely a metre away, looking on at Andrew and Renee silently. Aaron was texting, probably that simpering junior Katelyn. Andrew didn’t like it, but what was he supposed to do about it?

You’re just jealous you don’t have a girlfriend. Aaron had teased him the other week, when Andrew grumbled about his twin’s obsession with the girl. Andrew then sneered about probably being able to fool Katelyn into thinking he was Aaron, and then Betsy had to quell their little cat fight.

They never fought about anything seriously. They’d been thrown into the foster system together at birth, and adopted by Betsy a week after their 10th birthdays. They had fought to survive together: Logically, Andrew knew Katelyn wouldn’t put a divide between something like that. But Aaron was the logical one, and sometimes Andrew couldn’t help but let his anxiety win.

Renee tugged on his sneakers to catch his attention. “How was tutoring yesterday?”

He rolled his eyes with heightened exaggeration. “I got stuck with some kid who’s absolutely abysmal with Literature and History. He can’t drop them, because he’s at the bare minimum, so he’s practically going to be riding me so he can pass all his exams. Typical jock.”

Andrew didn’t add that Neil Josten was hopelessly attractive.

“Well, who is it?” Kevin demanded, in his usual Kevin fashion. He really had no idea how to do anything lightly.

“Neil Josten. Year below us.”

The green-eyed boy looked relieved. “Oh, thank god. Coach was going to kick him off the team if he didn’t focus more on school.”

Wait. What?

“He’s on the fucking exy team.” Andrew muttered under his breath. He couldn’t believe his luck.

“Since when were you on the fucking exy team?” Andrew dropped his things onto the table, not caring about the glowers that other students of the library sent his way for being obnoxiously disruptive.

Andrew is often obnoxiously disruptive in class, but performs extremely well in examinations. He must do a lot of studying at home to achieve that result: He might find that he would have plenty of leisure time if he just listened in class, rather than talking to other students or sleeping.

His report comments were always interesting, as were Betsy’s reactions.

Neil flinched at the noise, which was new. Then he shrugged, avoiding Andrew’s gaze. “Since I started.”

“Right.” Andrew drawled. “And you didn’t think to mention it to me, considering we’re trying to improve your grades to keep you on said team?”

“Sorry.” Neil muttered.

He paused. The boy was awfully withdrawn for an unknown reason: Neil Josten was all spitfire and burning scorn, with bouncing red curls, ice-like blue eyes and freckled cheeks, marred by horrific scarring. He told people it was surgery and acne. That was bullshit: It had to be. “I didn’t want an apology. I want a reason why.”

He shrugged again. “You hate Kevin Day. I didn’t think it would be a good idea to mention him.”

Andrew snorted. “Kevin’s been one of my closest friends since middle school. But I do hate him. He sucks all the way to the moon and back. He wont shut the fuck up about exy because we used to play together.”

“You did?” Neil shot up, the spark somewhat returning to his eye. “You play exy?”

“No.” Andrew told the one-track minded jock. “Get your work out. I’m giving up my time for a reason.”

Neil rolled his eyes. “You volunteered for it.”

No, he didn’t. He was avoiding detention. He told Neil so, but the boy still smirked.

“You still chose to tutor me that sit in a room on your own, which I thought was more your style.”

“Fuck off.” Andrew said decidedly and poked him in the cheek with a pen. Neil scrubbed it off quickly, looking worriedly at the ink coming off on his fingers. Andrew forced himself not to care.

Neil was truly hopeless with these subjects. He might be fluent in multiple others and a natural with mathematic equations, but trying to wrack his brain for anything he could remember about King Lear or the Treaty of Versailles was like getting a stone to bleed.

By the time the hour was over, Andrew’s head hurt. Despite the obvious aggravation Neil caused, he couldn’t get himself to give it up. Neil was too interesting.

When they left the library it was dark outside and the last stragglers like themselves were being shooed off campus. Andrew marched straight to his car. It was excessively expensive, due to the twins receiving their mother’s life inheritance and an extra tidbit from Betsy. They’d never met her: they just knew she was estranged from her brother and the rest of her family, which was why they’d received the money instead.

When Neil didn’t follow, he paused to call out to him. “Junkie.” He’d been dropping Neil home after every session thus far. Something had changed.

Neil didn’t look at him. “I’ve got a few errands to run.”

Andrew didn’t press it and left Neil standing alone and dejected on the sidewalk.

“Cut the shit. What’s going on?”

Andrew stayed behind the doorway, listening to the conversation. Wymack wasn’t a gentle person, but this was his compassionate side at work: Pulling his athletes aside and getting to the bottom of their problems. He claimed it was to make sure they lived up to his expectations on court, but that was bullshit. Wymack was an absolute grouch of a softy.

“I’m fine, coach.” Neil said. Typical.

“Bullcrap. You could barely keep up with Kevin this morning, and you’re usually running your little heart out, way ahead of him. What’s wrong.”

A moment of pause.

“Nothing, coach. Just a late night.”

Andrew, Wymack and Neil all knew that they could see right through his lies. Well, Wymack and Neil didn’t know he was there. But that was besides the point.

“Scram, Josten.” He said tiredly.

Andrew vanished before Neil had the chance to flee the man’s office. It didn’t need any convincing: Andrew was going to get to the bottom of the stupid, pretty-faced Exy junkie’s strange behaviour.

It was a new, perplexing puzzle to solve. Andrew stopped his jog a distance away from the coach’s office and watched the boy cross the courtyard. Neil glanced at him only once before ducking his head and running off.

Andrew was only doing this because Neil was interesting. Not because he cared. No, not at all.

“Come here.” Andrew snapped.

It was a bad day. He’d woken up in an awful mood, and nothing could improve it. Small, usually insignificant events had turned his mood from sour to volatile and he was itching to get home and into bed, turn off the lights and hide under the covers with Aaron and play on their old Nintendos until Betsy joined them with hot cocoa and marshmallows. Every gaze upon him was sickening, every noise around him making him wince.

Neil, despite his harsh words and reprimands throughout the hour, hadn’t seemed afraid of him. He looked exhausted but not scared as he approached Andrew’s hunched figure on the hood of his car.

Carefully, Neil took the cigarette from between Andrew’s fingers and looked at it, almost melancholic. When it began to wither away, he took a drag and coaxed it slowly back to life. He breathed out slowly, without coughing or choking. Then he slotted the cigarette back between Andrew’s unmoving fingers.

Fuck you. He thought, bitterly. He thought about Drake, his first boyfriend, and how he had ruined everything for Andrew. Maybe he wouldn’t be so scared to kiss Neil, if it weren’t for Drake. Maybe he’d be finally comfortable with his sexuality, if it weren’t for Drake. Maybe he would be able to go through a school day without being terrified for Aaron’s safety if it weren’t for Drake. He would never had needed to lie to Aaron and Betsy, if it weren’t for Drake.

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, his mind continued. Neil was looking at him with a blank stare. “Give me one good reason not to cut your throat.”

“You called me over here.” He reminded Andrew. Andrew wanted to sneer, but he was spread too thin today. “Andrew, I’m not scared of you.”

“You’re so stupid.” He ground out.

“Maybe.” Neil agreed.

“Why haven’t you asked what’s wrong?” He demanded, stubbing out his cigarette. His back was hurting from sitting like this, but being on the car’s hood gave him a height advantage over Neil. Neil had to crane his neck up to see him, but he was still unafraid. “Everyone asks what’s wrong.”

“I already know something’s wrong.” Neil shrugged. “I don’t need to know what, or why.”

They were very different, then. Neil was complacent to exist, to have everything at face-value, to accept what he was given and never take more. Andrew was deprived of so much that he grabbed for what he could. Two different methods of coping. Two different boys.

And yet, the same sense of understanding, shared between them.

“Let me drive you home.” Andrew said.

“I can’t.” Neil replied.

Andrew nodded and dismissed him with a flick of his fingers. He watched Neil walk away and didn’t move until he was well out of his sight. Then he sighed, hopped off the car and spent the drive home thinking of an excuse as to why he was later than usual for his adoptive mother.

It never worked. He almost always told her the truth.

There were three taps on his bedroom door the next morning, a Saturday morning, which wasn’t what woke Andrew: It never was. His meds made him sleep extremely heavily, which would be sickeningly dangerous if he wasn’t living in a house with only his mother and his brother.

What awoke him was the smell of hot chocolate being brought into the room, and the shrill tone of the home phone’s end dial. He hated that fucking thing, but Betsy needed it because she couldn’t use her mobile for work-related emergencies. His eyes flickered open as his mom settled the mug by his bed.

“Thanks.” He mumbled into the pillow.

“Feeling steadier?” Betsy stroked his hair carefully, knowing that was all she was allowed to do.

He nodded. She smiled gently and offered him the phone. “A friend of yours called. He said to call him back.”

Andrew sat up too quickly, considering he’d skipped dinner. His mouth tasted like July roadkill, having not drunk any water since midafternoon yesterday and his head throbbed. It was all familiar. He snatched the phone and pouted underneath Betsy’s shrewd look. She poked his nose and left the bedroom just as quickly as she’d entered.

The only ‘friend’ Andrew had who didn’t have his mobile number was Neil - mostly because Neil didn’t have a phone himself, but also because asking to talk outside of their tutoring sessions would be admitting to his interest in Neil, which was, obviously, completely crap. Andrew couldn’t care less about him.

“Come to my Exy game.” Neil said, before Andrew’d had the chance to ask him what the fuck did he think he was doing, and how the fuck he got this number. “Ple-” He cut himself off.

Andrew almost forgot they’d had that conversation.

“That’s a lot of please’s in one sentence.” Neil remarked, looking at the practise exam questions for his lit. exam. Andrew snatched the paper off him and looked: The excerpt was two sentences from some random book he’d never heard of. He got a pen and scribbled it out with more aggression than intended.

“You don’t have to do that question.” He decided, re-centring himself easily.

“What did ‘Ballad to Impress’ do to you?” Neil snorted.

“I hate that word.” He answered. “Don’t do the question.”

The boy just nodded. “Okay.”

“Why the fuck am I going to come to your Exy game?”

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Just come.”

Now that caught Andrew’s attention. “One question and one honest answer.”

“Yes.” He sounded nervous. “It starts in half an hour: It’s a home game. Will you be there?”

Andrew had to admit, Neil was impossible to deny. “Yes, junkie.”

He let out a sigh of relief, as though he’d been holding it in. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Shut up.” Andrew hung up.

He threw the phone off the bed and flopped back, staring at the ceiling, his mind and heart simultaneously racing.

He definitely hated Neil Josten. So much. All the way to the moon and back.

#andreil #andrew minyard #neil josten #high school au #DIFFERENT #more innocent #i mean i intended it to be more innocent but somehow worked murder into it anyway #you cant talk about aftg without talking about murder #aftg #all for the game #david wymack #betsy dobson #the foxes #part 1 #not-so-mini fic #jem writes

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pamalamherron92 · 3 years

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20 Repetition Examples Worth Repeating (+10 Repetition Types)

We see repetition examples everywhere — in books, movies, music, and even commercials.

Advertisers use repetition to craft catchy slogans that entice us to buy. Musicians use it to create songs that get stuck in our heads. Politicians use it to persuade nations.

But you?

How can you use repetition to spice up your writing and make it memorable?

I’ll show you how.

But first, we need to start with the basics. So let’s define repetition then jump into some examples.

Shall we?

What is Repetition?

Repetition is a literary device where words or phrases repeat for emphasis.

There are several types of repetition. For instance, alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds.

You might remember this consonance example from your childhood:

“Sally sells seashells by the seashore.”

Sound familiar?

But repetition is used for more than just childhood tongue twisters. If used correctly, it’ll strengthen your writing by:

Emphasizing your message

Boosting memorability

Adding rhythm

Linking ideas or topics together

But I should issue a warning.

There’s a fine line between repetition and redundancy.

For example, take the following paragraph:

He raced to the grocery store. He went inside but realized he forgot his wallet. He raced back home to grab it. Once he found it, he raced to the car again and drove back to the grocery store.

“Raced” is repeated, but it doesn’t strengthen the sentences. Instead, it sounds like the author couldn’t think of better word choices.

What follows, then, is too many filler words that confuse the reader and lose their attention.

Now compare that redundant paragraph to this repetition example:

It was the best of times,

it was the worst of times,

it was the age of wisdom,

it was the age of foolishness,

Do you see how compelling that is?

It’s the opening to Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities.

Dickens’ repetition draws his readers in and encourages them to keep turning the page.

Can it do the same for you and your audience?

Yes.

Let’s show you how to replicate this with more examples.

10 Types of Repetition with Examples

Repetition is an umbrella literary device that includes more specific types of stylistic tools, like alliteration, epistrophe, diacope, and others.

And here’s a hint:

Each type of repetition serves a unique purpose. The one you choose depends on what you’re trying to convey.

So let’s talk about that next.

1. Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses.

It’s common in music, poems, and children’s books that have a rhyming element.

For example, Nico and Vinz’s song “Am I Wrong?” features this anaphora:

So am I wrong for thinking that we could be something for real?

Now am I wrong for trying to reach the things that I can’t see?

Listen to how catchy this line sounds below:

youtube

Anaphora can also be used in speeches to motivate people. Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech included this repetition example:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

See what I mean?

Repetition not only emphasized Dr. King’s point, but it made it more memorable and quotable.

2. Epizeuxis

Epizeuxis is the repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession.

Winston Churchill used epizeuxis in his address to Harrow School:

Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty-never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.

How’s that for a commencement speech?

Churchill was known for his inspiring speeches that were packed full of powerful words and rhetorical devices.

But while repetition examples are common in speeches, they don’t stop there. Writers have used repetition for ages.

For example, in King Lear, William Shakespeare wrote:

And my poor fool is hanged! No, no, no life!

Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life,

And thou no breath at all? Thou’lt come no more,

Never, never, never, never!

In the scene above, King Lear is grieving the death of his daughter. The use of epizeuxis is a perfect choice for this scene because it strengthens the emotion.

3. Epistrophe

Epistrophe, also called “epiphora,” uses repetition at the end of independent clauses or sentences.

Many writers and speakers use epistrophe to drive home their points.

Abraham Lincoln achieved this in his “Gettysburg Address”:

Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Powerful, isn’t it?

Many musicians also love using repetition to add a regular rhythm to their songs and make them catchy.

And they’re right.

We see it in Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” song:

‘Cause if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it

If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it

Don’t be mad once you see that he want it

4. Negative-Positive Restatement

A negative-positive restatement states an idea twice, first in negative terms and then in positive terms. These are typically “not this, but that” statements.

For example:

“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” said John F. Kennedy.

Another famous negative-positive restatement comes from Martin Luther King. He said, “Freedom is not given; it is won.”

5. Diacope

Diacope is the repetition of a single word or phrase, separated by intervening words. It comes from the Greek word thiakhop, which means “cutting in two.”

My favorite example comes from Michael Jordan. He said:

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Jordan first said this in a Nike ad. You can watch this short commercial below. I promise you won’t be disappointed:

youtube

Speaking of commercials, Maybelline uses a diacope in their tagline when they say, ��Maybe she’s born with it; maybe it’s Maybelline.”

6. Epanalepsis

Epanalepsis repeats words or phrases at the beginning and the end of the same sentence or clause.

For example:

“Control, control, you must learn control,” said Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back.

Check it out:

youtube

Epanalepsis puts a heavy emphasis on the idea you’re trying to convey.

It also uses the “primacy” and “recency” effects which means the first and last thing we hear is more likely to stick in our minds.

Some politicians love this technique. Politicians like John F. Kennedy.

He used this repetition example in his address to the United Nations:

Mankind must put an end to war — or war will put an end to mankind.

7. Epimone

Epimone uses repetition to dwell on a point. It’s commonly used in stories where a character is pleading or commanding someone to do something.

We saw it in Oliver Goldsmith’s play, She Stoops to Conquer:

I tell you, sir, I’m serious! And now that my passions are roused, I say this house is mine, sir; this house is mine, and I command you to leave it directly.

Epimone is also used to illustrate persistence. For example, in Webster’s address to the Senate, he said:

The cause, then, Sir, the cause! Let the world know the cause which has thus induced one State of the Union to bid defiance to the power of the whole, and openly to talk of secession.

8. Polyptoton

Polyptoton involves the repetition of words that derive from the same root word.

Here’s a famous quote from John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton:

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Remember that one?

“Absolute” and “absolutely” are different words, but they derive from the same root word.

Polyptoton is common in headlines and book titles too.

Heidi Murkoff’s popular book on pregnancy is titled What to Expect When You’re Expecting

Here’s a screenshot of the cover page:

9. Antistasis

Antistasis uses repetition to contrast two ideas. It derives from the Greek meaning “to stand against” or “opposing position.”

For example, when someone asks you:

“Are you working hard or hardly working?”

That’s an antistasis example because it contrasts two ideas on work.

Advertisers use this technique too. The tagline of the Starkist Tuna commercials was:

“Sorry, Charlie. StarKist wants tuna that tastes good, not tuna with good taste.“

Do you see how the combination of those contrasting ideas makes you stop and think?

That’s the goal.

10. Antanaclasis

Antanaclasis repeats the same word or phrase but with a different meaning each time. This repeated phrase is also known as a pun because it’s a play on words.

Benjamin Franklin used it when he said, “Your argument is sound, nothing but sound.”

In the first part, he said the argument is solid. In the second, he discounted it as noise.

Vince Lombardi, a famous football coach, also used antanaclasis when he stated:

“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.”

See how easy that is?

Stating the same phrases in a different way makes them wittier.

Examples of Repetition in Literature

Surprise, surprise:

Some of the best repetition examples come from books and poems.

It didn’t take long for many of the world’s most famous writers — like Shakespeare and Maya Angelou — to understand the power of this rhetorical device.

For example, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare used repetition when he said:

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Oh, woeful, oh woeful, woeful, woeful day!

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, he used repetition in successive phrases to emphasize his point:

The apartment was on the top floor-a small living-room, a small dining-room, a small bedroom, and a bath.

The repeated word “small” highlights to the reader how tiny Tom’s apartment is.

Maya Angelou also knew how to use this literary technique to her advantage. In her poem, Still I Rise, she said:

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise.

This repetition in poetry emphasizes Angelou’s main point and signifies her strength.

Famous Examples of Repetition in Pop Culture

Repetition is common in music because it makes it easy to sing along with the lyrics.

Here’s an example from Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog”:

You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog

Cryin’ all the time

You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog

Cryin’ all the time

We also see repetition all the time in movies.

Why?

Because it gives us quotable movie lines that stand the test of time. Here’s a famous repetition example from Taxi Driver:

You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin’ to? You talkin’ to me? Well, I’m the only one here.

Hear this quote in action:

youtube

And then, of course, another famous repetition example comes from the James Bond series. James Bond always introduces himself as “Bond. James Bond.”

Why Write with Repetition?

Let me ask you:

If there was an easy way to be more memorable, would you do it?

And if you could easily add emphasis to your message, would you do it?

Of course you would.

Just by using repeated patterns in one sentence or paragraph, you can:

Make your point more convincing

Increase memorability

Add flow to your writing

Make your words rhyme

Link topics or ideas together

Think of it this way.

There’s a reason why some of history’s most famous speakers used repetition. Winston Churchill, JFK, and Martin Luther King used it because it works.

It makes your writing more persuasive, quotable, and memorable. And in writing, that’s considered the triple threat.

Ready to Put These Repetition Examples to Work?

Using repetition is simple.

Start by choosing an idea that you want to emphasize. Then repeat words that stress that idea and make your prose more quotable.

But a friendly reminder:

Don’t overuse repetition. Just use it on thoughts or ideas that you want to carry a significant impact, or else it’ll lose its effect.

Remember my redundancy example from earlier?

You don’t want to look like a lazy writer who couldn’t find a better way to word your message.

Instead, use it like David Schwartz when he said:

“The mind is what the mind is fed.”

See how that works? Now go try it for yourself.

You’ve got this.

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dosbysilverqueen · 6 years

Audio

There Only Was One Choice by Harry Chapin

There's a kid out on my corner hear him strumming like a fool Shivering in his dungarees but still he's going to school His cheeks are made of peach fuzz his hopes may be the same But he's signed up as a soldier out to play the music game There are fake patches on his jacket he's used bleach to fade his jeans With a brand new stay pressed shirt and some creased and wrinkled dreams His face a blemish garden but his eyes are virgin clear His voice is Chicken Little's But he's hearing Paul Revere When he catches himself giggling he forces up a sneer Though he'd rather have a milk shake he keeps forcing down the beer Just another folkie late in coming down the pike Riding his guitar he left Kid brother with his bike And he's got Guthrie running in his bones He's the hobo kid who's left his home And his Beatles records and the Rolling Stones This boy is staying acoustic. There's Seeger singing in his heart He hopes his songs will somehow start To heal the cracks that split apart America gone plastic And now there's Dylan dripping from his mouth He's hitching himself way down south To learn a little black and blues From old street men who paid their dues 'Cause they knew they had nothing to lose They knew it So they just got to it With cracked old Gibsons and red clay shoes Playing 1-4-5 chords like good news And cursed with skin that calls for blood They put their face and feet in mud But oh they learned the music from way down there The real ones learn it somewhere Strum your guitar sing it kid Just write about your feelings not the things you never did Inexperience it once had cursed me But your youth is no handicap it's what makes you thirsty Hey, kid you know you can hear your footsteps as you're kicking up the dust And the rustling in the shadows tells you secrets you can trust The capturing of whispers is the way to write a song It's when you get to microphones the music can go wrong You can't see the audience with spotlights in your eyes Your feet can't feel the highway from where the Lear jet flies When you glide in silent splendor in your padded limousines Only you are crying there behind the silver screen Now you battle dragons but they'll all turn into frogs When you grab the wheel of fortune you get caught up in the cog First your art turns into craft then the yahoos start to laugh Then you'll hear the jackals howl 'cause they love to watch the fall They're the lost ones out there feeding on the wounded and the bleeding They always are the first to see the cracks upon the walls When I started this song I was still thirty-three The age that Mozart died and sweet Jesus was set free Keats and Shelley too soon finished, Charley Parker would be And I fantasized some tragedy'd be soon curtailing me Well just today I had my birthday I made it thirty-four Mere mortal, not immortal, not star-crossed anymore I've got this problem with my aging I no longer can ignore A tame and toothless tabby can't produce a lion's roar And I can't help being frightened on these midnight afternoons When I ask the loaded questions Why does winter come so soon? And where are all the golden girls that I was singing for The daybreak chorus of my dreams serenades no more Yeah the minute man is going soft the mirror's on the shelf Only when the truth's up there can you fool yourself I am the aged jester who won't gracefully retire A clumsy clown without a net caught staggering on the high wire Yesterday's a collar that has settled round my waist Today keeps slipping by me, it leaves no aftertaste Tomorrow is a daydream, the future's never true Am I just a fading fire or a breeze passing through? Hello my Country I once came to tell everyone your story Your passion was my poetry And your past my most potent glory Your promise was my prayer Your hypocrisy my nightmare And your problems fill my present Are we both going somewhere? Step right up young lady Your two hundred birthdays make you old if not senile And we see the symptoms there in your rigor mortis smile With your old folks eating dog food and your children eating paint While the pirates own the flag and sell us sermons on restraint And while blood's the only language that your deaf old ears can hear And still you will not answer with that message coming clear Does it mean there's no more ripples in your tired old glory stream And the buzzards own the carcass of your dream? B*U*Y Centennial Sell 'em pre-canned laughter America Perennial Sing happy ever after There's a Dance Band on the Titanic Singing Nearer My God to Thee And the iceberg's on the starboard bow Won't you dance with me Yes I read it in the New York Times That was on the stands today It said that dreams were out of fashion We'll hear no more empty promises There'll be no more wasted passions To clutter up our play It really was a good sign The words went on to say It shows that we are growing up In oh so many healthy ways And I told myself this is Exactly where I'm at But I don't much like thinking about that Harry are you really so naive You can honestly believe That the country's getting better When all you do is let her alone Harry Can you really be surprised when it's there before your eyes when you hold the knife that carves her you live the life that starves her to the bone Good dreams don't come cheap You've got to pay for them If you just dream when you're asleep There is no way for them to come alive to survive It's not enough to listen it's not enough to see When the hurricane is coming on it's not enough to flee It's not enough to be in love we hide behind that word It's not enough to be alive when your future's been deferred What I've run through my body, what I've run through my mind My breath's the only rhythm and the tempo is my time My enemy is hopelessness my ally honest doubt The answer is a question that I never will find out Is music propaganda should I boogie, Rock and Roll Or just an early warning system hitched up to my soul Am I observer or participant or huckster of belief Making too much of a life so mercifully brief? So I stride down sunny streets and the band plays back my song They're applauding at my shadow long after I am gone Should I hold this wistful notion that the journey is worthwhile Or tiptoe cross the chasm with a song and a smile Well I got up this morning I don't need to know no more It evaporated nightmares that had boiled the night before With every new day's dawning my kid climbs in my bed And tells the cynics of the board room your language is dead And as I wander with my music through the jungles of despair My kid will learn guitar and find his street corner somewhere There he'll make the silence listen to the dream behind the voice And show his minstrel Hamlet daddy that there only was one choice Strum your guitar sing it kid Just write about your feelings not the things you never did Inexperience it once had cursed me But your youth is no handicap it's what makes you thirsty, hey kid Strum your guitar sing it kid Just write about your feelings not the things you never did Dance Band...

(submitted by Lionhead Bookends via The Soundtrack thread)

#submission #dreaming of sunshine #lionhead bookends #music #audio #naruto #links #forum

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the-last-airbadger · 6 years

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My 2017

The end of the year is in sight, and so it is time to, once again, write a long post in which I look back on the past year and get all sentimental and stuff. It’s fun! And since I’ve kinda made an annual tradition out of it, why the fuck not?

I’m gonna be using the same questions/categories as I did last year for maximum comparison (and so I know what to write about), so if you want to read last year’s post, I’ll link it here: (x)

The Beginning of 2017 vs. Now I definately think that there’s a huge difference between the beginning of the year and the end. When this year started, I was sooooo busy with school. I had multiple test weeks coming up and I was behind on almost all my subjects. The stress of all that stuff caused me to feel really unhappy, and apart from that my transition also wasn’t really moving forward. And now? Now I’m five months on T, finished with school, and even though work is still stressfull at the moment and I’m still not really happy, I can say that I’m a lot happier than I was at the beginning of the year. I also feel like at the beginning of the year I was kinda stuck in a negative mindset. I felt lonely all the time, and I had just started to realise that I was a very insecure person and I felt really lonely and busy and isolated and I just wasn’t in a good place, ya know? And I feel like in the past year I’ve become better at dealing with my insecurities and with jealousy, which has increased the value I have of myself, which has definately improved my quality of life.

So, to summarise it: Since the beginning of the year I’ve reached multiple of my goals, reached some milestones and, most importantly, I’ve grown as a person.

Best things about 2017 So many good things happened this year! I don’t even know where to begin, so I’ll try to start with things that happened at the beginning of the year and just see where it leads me. I hope I won’t forget anything lmao.

Okay, so first of all, Voltron season 2, 3 and 4 were all released this year! Three seasons! That’s crazy! I didn’t really enjoy the last two that much, but damn, season 2 was really fun! Other tv shows that got new seasons this year were Stranger Things, Doctor Who (I can’t believe I’ve only finished the tenth doctors seasons this year! I can’t believe I’ve not been into Doctor Who for more than a year! It’s so much funn!!!!), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (which reminds me, I started watching “the good place” this year! Amazing show!), and Sense8! Speaking of sense8, I only started watching it in the beginning of this year, and it has easily become one of my favourite shows ever! I’m so glad I got to watch this show this year!

Then in february, I discovered the band One Ok Rock, which is one of my favourite bands at the moment. It’s crazy to think I haven’t even known them for a year, because they’ve become such an integral part of my music library. And so have Lindsey Stirling and Ed Sheeran by the way! I went to a Lindsey Stirling concert in March and have become a huge fan of her latest album “brave enough” ever since then. And Ed Sheeran’s album “Devide” had some amazing songs on it that I connected with instantly and have helped me through some hard times. I really can’t believe I’ve only been listening to these songs for like nine months or something. It feels like it’s been forever. The same goes for a certain musical genre by the way, but we’ll get into that later!!

Then in may, two amazing things happened, first of all I got to perform on a huge stage with my choir, and met some famous dutch people there! Roel van Velzen for example! That was crazy! We were on TV!!!

The second thing is, I finished my exams and was done with school! This made me feel sooooo much happier. I instantly just felt a lot better and suddenly had time to do stuff I liked, like read and write and play the piano. Honestly, those months (end of may - end of august) were some of the best months I’ve had in a loooong time. I wish I could go back sometimes lmao.

So yeah, I graduated, turned eightteen, went to Ireland for the first time. All of that stuff was amazing. Then, on the 28th of june, I went to the hospital and got one of the best surprises I’ve ever gotten. I COULD FINALLY, FINALLY, GO ON T! If I had to pick my best day of the year, I’d probably choose this day. Testosterone has already improved my life so much and I’ve only been on it for five months. I can’t imagine how much it will change me in the next year and I also can’t wait to find out!!

Oh, and after that, I GOT INTO KPOP! I started really listening to Day6 during my vacation to ireland, but around the end of august/beginning of september, I started to get really really into SHINee, and in extention, to kpop. Honestly, this might sound dramatic, but Day6 and SHINee have added so much to my life. Their music and just their personalities never fail to make me smile, and they bring me comfort when I feel down. Since a few weeks, BTS has also been added to that list. Their music and the members just really mean a lot to me, so I’d say kpop is definately one of the best things that happened to me this year.

Then I got a job in september, and I can’t really remember if anything big has happened since then. The only thing I can really think of is I SAW JACKSEPTICEYE LIVE! That evening was such a fun evening and it was awesome to finally get to see one of my heroes in person and to be in the same room with him and see that he’s actually real, haha. I don’t think I’ve screamed that much anywhere else this year.

Oh, and I also went to my first pride this year! Sadly, I couldn’t stay there very long because of work, but it was amazing and I can’t wait to go again!

I also started my youtube channel this year, which is cool. I really love making content for it, but unfortunately it takes a lot of time that I usually don’t have. I hope I’ll be able to keep it up for another year!

So, I think that’s it for this year. If you look at it like this it’s actually quite a lot of positive stuff! That’s always good.

OH AND HOW COULD I FORGET I went to london with my mom this year! It was only two nights but it was amazing and I had loads of fun there!

And another thing I wanted to add is I feel like I’ve become a lot closer with my friends this past year. I guess that’s just what happens when you know them for a year longer, but idk. We see eachother a lot less than last year and despite that we’ve only become closer and I think that’s a really amazing thing.

OH, and I started to watch the You’re So Brave podcast by Chase Ross & Aaron Ansuini and oh my god have these dudes helped me a lot in the past year. Thank you guys so so much!!!

My resolutions for 2017? I haven’t looked at my resolutions for this year since I posted them last year... oops. But I remember quite a few of them and I believe I’ve achieved some of them so I’m just going to copy-paste them here and adress them all individually

Go on Testosterone, for real this time - Did that!! I went on T on the 28th of July 2017 and am now Five months and Three days on T!

Write more! - .... well I guess I failed that one. I wrote exactly four pages in the past year

Save money and buy new jeans, flannels and hoodies - I did save money, and bought my favourite flannel, hoodie and jeans this year, so I guess that counts

Finish School! - DID THAT

Read a lot of books! - Sadly, I didn’t manage to achieve my reading goal on goodreads. I only read 22 books this year when I wanted to read 35. Last year, I read about the same amount, so I’d count this as a fail.

Stay Hydrated! - Idek if I did this lmao. I did become more aware of what I’m eating and what I should eat more and less to stay healthy, so I’m going to count this as a win

Try to make my tumblr blog a safe and positive place for everyone - I’ll let you guys be the judge of that

Stay positive - I’ve definately tried this, so that’s good enough

Try to be the best person I can be - I’ve become a lot more self aware the past year, and I did find out what my flaws were and how to work on them, so I think I did this.

Fight my insecurities - As I’ve stated in the beginning of this post, I think I’ve become better at dealing with them, so I’d say yeah, I did that!

Reach 200 followers on tumblr!! - Did that! I’ve got about 280 followers now!!

So yeah, overall I think I did pretty good in the past year! Better than I expected at least haha

Expectations for 2018 Okay, let’s see. I’m expecting I’ll keep my job until around june/july. I’ll turn nineteen in june, and I’m going to see Paramore, Markiplier, Ed Sheeran and Dan and Phil live this year! Really looking forward to that!! Then in september I’m going to start university, and I think that I’m going to have Top-Surgery somewhere between september and december of this year. Apart from that I don’t really know what to expect. I think university will be quite easy for me education-wise, and hard social-wise, since I’m not good around strangers and might have some slight social anxiety. But apart from that I don’t really have a clear vision for the future. I am probably going to start learing how to drive so I might get my driver’s liscence this year. Who knows? It’ll be a mystery until I’ve lived it guys.

2018 Resolutions? I am feeling ambitious rn so I’m probably gonna set the bar too high but oh well who cares let’s do this

Finally decide what to study

Get Top-Surgery

Write at least 100 pages of a story

Accomplish my reading challenge on goodreads (I’m gonna try 35 books again)

Start University

Make new friends

Stop with my acting classes

Learn how to drive

Improve my drawing skills (maybe make a comic?)

Reach 300 followers on Tumblr

Get more than 20 subs on Youtube and consistently create content for my channel

Learn Divenire on the Piano

Dye my hair

Continue to shower every day (Hygene is important!)

Start working out/exercising regularely

Get new glasses

And yeah, that’s it! I hope you’ve all enjoyed going along on this journey through my past year with me. Looking back on the past year is always one of my favourite parts of new year’s eve. It’s so good to look back and see all that you’ve accomplished in a year and it just makes me really sentimental and stuff and I like that.

Anyways, I hope you all have a great evening, and I’ll see you guys next year!

#personal #idk how else to tag this lol

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poison-basil · 7 years

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Part 6: Intervention

Prompt - I do not know if you accept suggestions, but you could do a chapter where many people (like Bruce, Jason, Conner, Ra's Al Ghul, Selina, Damian or someone else you want to add or remove) threaten Dick not to hurt Temperance they know that Dick is very flirtatious with the other girls already had many girlfriends, it would be fun to see.

Summary - Five times Dick was warned not to hurt temperance and the one time Temperance was warned not to hurt Dick.

Dick should've expected it, should of known this was going to happen, but they had lulled him into a false sense of security, leaving it weeks after they had got together. Dick had just finished his food shopping and was closing the door behind him, when a knife whistled past his head and embedded itself in the door. (guess who was going to be fixing that?)

Tensing his shoulders, Dick slowly looked in the direction the knife had come from. Sitting on the sofa was one Jason Todd, his booted feet kicked up onto the coffee table, twiddling another knife between his fingers. Jason looked ready for a fight, and that made Dick tense up, this hadn’t happened for years, maybe something was wrong, maybe the pit was resurfacing within him? But upon looking more at the relaxed nature Jason was sitting, the deep blueness of his eyes, Dick couldn’t see anything like the pit sickness. This was personal then.

Not sure on what to do or say, Dick started to wrack his brains about what he had done this past week that might lead him to knowing why Jason was here. He had just seen him two days ago though and nothing seemed to be wrong then and as far as Dick knew, he hadn’t done anything to warrant this type of welcome.

“Calm yourself Dicky, I’m not gonna hurt ya” Dick relaxed a little at this, moved into the room making his way to the kitchen so that he could put the food down. “Not today at least.” Dick gave him a sharp look and noticed the smirk unfolding on his face.

“What do you want Jason?” Sighed Dick, why was nothing simple with Jason?

“It’s not about wanting anything, more about letting you know a little something.”

“Alright, and what’s that little wing?”

“Just wanted you to know, that I will gut you, slowly and painfully, if you ever hurt Tee,” Jason made a low thrusting gesture with the knife in his hand, “Just thought I would be a good little brother and let you know.” He was back to spinning the knife in his hand.

“You know I would never hurt her Jason…” Dick gave Jason a wary looks why did he think he was going to hurt Temperance?

“Not intentionally, no… But on accident? That’s you all over Big Wing and I’m not letting you get away with it.” Jason's words stung. Giving Dick an ache in his chest.

Dick held his hands up in defence, wanting to make it clear to Jason. “I promise, I won’t hurt her, intentionally or otherwise”

“You better not or i will -- “

Dick cut him off, “Gut me, yeah, I got the memo, it was on really nice stationary.”

“You know it!” Jason was out off the sofa in an instant and making his way over to the door, grabbing the handle he looked back at Dick, “Now I gotta go, some asshats, doing stupid shit in my area,” he grabbed the knife from the door, pocketing it, just as he was closing the door behind him Dick heard him call, “Don't forget Dicky boy, I will come for you.”

---

This was the strangest situation that Dick Grayson had ever been in, sure as Nightwing, thing’s got pretty weird. As Officer Grayson? Once in a blue moon did anything remotely strange happen.

But now, sitting in interrogation across from Ra’s al’Ghul takes the biscuit. He was dressed in fine, green silk robes, and looking like it pained him to be in here. All Dick knew about the situation was that Ra’s apparently had some information that he would tell to Officer Grayson. That’s how Dick ended up in here after his lunch break, but he has been sitting here for nearly ten minutes without a word leaving Ra’s mouth. Dick didn’t know what he was up to, but it couldn’t be good, Ra’s didn’t usually cause Dick problems directly.

Dick’s attention was brought back to Ra’s when he shifted slightly in the metal chair. Sneering at the uncomfortableness. “Richard,” hearing his name, coming from Ra’s was weird, was this how Tee felt, when Ra’s called her Temperance? “I have come to understand that you and the young detective have entered relations.”

Dick raised an eyebrow at the statement, “Yeah? Like 3 Months ago?”

“Yes, yes, I know, I wanted to find the right opportunity to talk to you, without others interrupting.” Well, that wasn't worrying or anything.

Ra’s carried on, not taking notice of the slight change in Dick's posture,“You see, I wanted to make it clear to you, that I should take action if I find you are not attending to Temperance. As one should.”

He was getting the 'you break her heart, I break your face’ talk from Ra's? What was his life coming to? “Even though you may have her for a short time, I shall allow this due to the innumerable years after your death we would live together.”

Oh damn, he was staking his claim! This fucking asshole! “Tee, doesn’t want to be with you! She would never do that!”

Ra’s was giving him a pitying look, like he was a small child. “Grief can be a terrible thing Richard, especially the passing of a loved one, I almost had her in my grasp once, you were the cause of that too, I won’t let her slip away again.”

That hurt, being told of his past failings towards Temperance, he would always regret it, but now he had plenty of opportunities to try and make up for it, even slightly. “That won’t happen, there are people that will stop you, make sure that never happens…”

Ra’s waved him off, as though what he said meant little. “I can bide my time till there is no one to interrupt… Bringing Temperance back would be no trouble...”

Dick slammed his hands so hard on the metal table in front of him it sent a sting right up his arm. “She would hate you! Detest you!”

“She already does, what more could she do? She will have no one but me, I shall keep her chained if need be…” The lear in Ra's eyes, and the reverence in his voice made Dick feel sick.

“No..” Someone would save her, if he couldn't. There was Jason and Bruce, and if they couldn't, Clark and Superboy could, they would live for a long time right?

“Never mind that Richard, my original purpose was to inform you that should you hurt Temperance, I would not hesitate to move plans forward, to give her a space at my side.” Dick was glad this was over, he wanted out of this room, away from that man. He was going to make contingency plans, there was no way Ra's was getting his creepy hands on her!

---

Walking back to the plane after dropping Temperance off, Dick was stopped by Superboy, floating in front of him with a frown on his face, arms folded across his arm. Dick was still a little wary about the relationship between Temperance and Conner, even though she swore up and down there was nothing between them and there never has been. Just seeing them laughing and casually touching each other set a fire within him, he hated it, the irrational jealousy that would flare up. Staring at Conner now, seeing just how good looking he was, and thinking about how Temperance was about to spend the weekend here with him made him feel uncomfortable.

Conner softly landed in front of him and ran a hand through his hair. Dick remained silent, taking it that Conner had something he wanted to say, if he went to come find him.

“Look man, I know this sounds weird coming from me, but you gotta look after Temp, make sure you’re good to her.” Superboy looked uncomfortable. Like he wanted to be anywhere else.

Dick threw his hands up, groaning, “I know, I am, why does everyone think I’m going to fuck this up?”

Conner grabbed the back of his neck, and looked to the side, “Well, you don’t have the best track record right?”

“What?” Superboy was going more and more uncomfortable, Dick didn't care though, what was he talking about?

“Well i just heard that you are bit of a…” Dick could see him mulling over his next words. “Slut? I guess?”

“What!?”

Conner raised his hands in front of himself,as if to block a punch, “It’s just something I heard, that you’ve slept with and gone out with a lot of people, and I just wanted to warn you not to hurt Temp.”

Dick stared at Conner, was this real? “One, that's rude, I treat every person I’m with, with respect and love. Two, this is between me and Temperance, why are you butting in?”

Now it was Conner’s staring at him. “She’s my best friend dude, she has looked out for me, basically all my life, always been there for me, so i am being there for her too.”

Dick understood that, he had friends and family he would die for, protect. “Well, listen, this thing between me and Tee? It’s good and I love her, I’m going to look after her.”

“You better Grayson, or I’m coming for you, I don’t care how much kryptonite you might be packing, you have to sleep eventually man, and that’s when I will come for you.” Superboy started to levitate, hovering before Dick, making himself taller and more imposing.

“Alright, I get it, though hopefully it never comes to that.” Dick truly hopes it never come to that, because when it does, that means he's fucked up.

Superboy nodded, with a strong gust of wind he was gone.

Sitting at the table in the Manor kitchen, Dick was helping himself to some of Alfred’s cookies and nursing a dark roast coffee. It was as close to peace Dick got without Temperance around. He hears the door to the kitchen open and sees Damian walking through.

“Ah, Grayson, I wanted to talk to you,” He stood by the kitchen counter, close to the plate of cookies Alfred had left out, “According to Todd, it is customary to warn the partners of people you feel close to, of bodily harm one will inflict should anything happen to them.”

Dick was at a loss for words, “Dami?”

“This is me warning you Grayson.”

Damian grabs a cookie from the plate and made his way out of the kitchen, leaving Dick to stare into his coffee, what was his life coming to?

Temperance wasn’t expecting anything interesting to happen today, so when a bag is forced over her head, on her way out of Wayne Tower, about to go home, Temperance is appropriately surprised and angered. She’s roughly pushed into a car and pulled into a sitting sitting position by the person getting in behind her.

“Go…” She tries to place the voice, but is distracted by the car pulling out and onto the road.

A hand throughly comes up to her head and pulls the bag off, she is greeted by face of Deathstroke, scowling at her.

“Well this was unexpected, what can I do for you Slade?” She really didn't need this today, she had just got out of a stuffy board meeting with men talking down to her, she didn't want some mercenary rattling off their latest plan… wasn't this Dick's bad guy, she already had her, creepy, old bad guy slot filled, thank you Ra’s.

“I heard al’Ghul gave Dick a little talk, thought I would return the favour, villain for villain.” God, what was it with villains these days? Weren't they supposed to like, hate heroes?

“Right, well, you could've just made an appointment with my secretary, you know, instead of this…” She trailed off. The car windows were tinted black, she couldn't see where they were going, and was too distracted by deathstroke's spiel to think about the rout the car was taking. Stupid.

“Thought this would be better. So you understand, if anything happens, I’m coming for you.” Temperance nodded.

“Yes, I gathered that, I'm sure Dick will like to know you have his best interests at heart.” Slade smirked, he always like how sassy this Robin was.

“Well, as long as we understand each other it’s fine.” Sitting back she watched as Slade pulled out his phone and started tapping away.

“Noted.” Temperance moved, her hand reaching for the door handle, ready to just jump is Slade tried to keep her in the car. “If you could be so kind I would appreciate it if you stopped the car, so I can do home?” She felt a tightening in her chest when he smirked at her. Something was wrong.

“We’re dropping you off outside your’s and Dick's apartment.” As he said this the car slowed to a halt, and Temperance pushed the door open, to see that they were in fact outside her apartment, she looked back to see Slade smirking and waving at her, as soon as the door on the car was closed it peeled off down the street.

Temperance has to say, that was the nicest kidnapping she has ever been apart of.

Now she just had to inform Dick that they were going to move.

Dick was enjoying a casual spar with Temperance when they were interrupted by a cough from the side of the mats. Stopping mid position they both turned to Bruce, he was scowling down at them.

Worried, Dick moved to stand by Bruce, “What’s up B?”

“I don’t know how to say this...” They watched as Bruce paused, his brow furrowing more.

“However you want Burce, we can take it,” Temperance put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze, “It’s gotta be bad if you’re having trouble with it”

Bruce gave a frustrated sigh, “It's not that, it’s just, difficult, I see you both as my kids, both equally important. So I wanted to do this with you both here.”

Bruce kept going, so he didn’t lose courage, “I know that you, like each other, love each other even. I’m ok with that, but I don’t want it to affect the job, for everyone’s safety.” Bruce put a hand on each of their shoulders, “Also, I will never take a side, I’m letting you know this know, so that it doesn’t come as a surprise later. I could never turn against one of you on this.”

They look to each other before looking back to Bruce, “We know that B, we already discussed worst case, and you’re our Switzerland, someone who will, without a doubt be neutral.”

Temperance gave a gentle shake of her head, while smiling at him. “Bruce, we would never make you choose between us.”

Dick pats Bruce on the back, “Ok, well good talk B! Me and Temp are gonna go back to training.”

Temperance gave a quick kiss to Bruce’s cheek before moving back, “See you later.”

Bruce pat them both on the shoulder before turning and walking towards the batcomputer, effectively putting an end to the conversation. Dick and Temperance looked at each other and sniggered. Dick put his arm around her waist and dipped her, giving her a light kiss, before pulling her up again.

“We, now that conversation is out of the way, what do you say to more interesting training?” Dick wiggled his eyebrows.

Dick was in the middle of patrol when he got the anonymous text, his eyebrows furrowed reading it.

‘U hurt T, I will come for you’

It wasn’t the text that was the problem, he’s been getting threats all over the place about what people would do to him, should he hurt Temperance, it was that it was done on an unknown number. Who would warn him and not let him know who it was? This was just plain weird, Dick tried to call back the number, though all he got was a voice telling him the number had been disconnected. Strange.

Dick shrugged it off, with all the threats of death he got, he could just add another to the ever growing list.

Pru sat back in the hotel bed, pleased with the knowledge that she had successfully warned Dick Grayson.

#myfic #my writing #DickTim #Temperance aka Tim Drake #Temperance's Temptations #part 6 #Ra's al Ghul #deathstroke #damian wayne #dick grayson #bruce wayne #Jason Todd #conner

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mytaggss · 7 years

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7.21.16 (first)

4.11.17 (second)

1. Are you good at apologizing? i guess yeah- sure

2. Do you prefer your looks or personality? both- both tbh

3. Are you confident? not really- eh, sometimes i can be, but lets be honest here

4. What are you most confident about yourself? idk- my body size, i like that i look kind of small but not too skinny

5. Name a few songs that reminds you of someone, and who it remind you of. idk haha- haha i have some but

6. What is your favourite colour combination? i like a lot of them, i can’t pick a favorite off the top of my head.- maybe pink and white? idkkk

7. Define your “aesthetic”. basically someone who takes care of themselves all around.- casual and athletic probably

8. What is sex to you? something that two people who are really into/love each other and it is something both want to do.- two people who are comfortable with each other and have some sort of sexual tension and are both into it. there can be love involved or just lust

9. Do you have any kinks? What are they? not really- nah

10. What are some of your biggest pet peeves? people who scream randomly- when i can hear people eating weirdly oh god

11. What’s something that automatically turns you off of other people? bad odor/breath, dirty clothes/hair (all the time, not like after sports or a workout lol)- same and boring people

12. What song always makes you sad/emotional? idk- without a word- birdy and fallingforyou- the 1975 and juke jam- chance the rapper (sometimes lol)

13. How many people have you dated? How many of them do you still have feelings for? none- none technically

14. How are you with moving on? idk- eh get hurt but i move on to the next one pretty easily because i haven’t had a true bf so

15. What’s a philosophy you agree with, but fail to live by? idk- live life to the fullest everyday

16. What’s something you don’t like about yourself? myself in general kind of lol.- lol my height, i wish i was shorter

17. What’s something positive happening in your life right now? i am going to start college soon.- i am actually doing good in school other then math but i am withdrawing from that class so

18. Are you truly able to admit your faults in relationships to yourself? idk?- sure

19. Is it important to you to be a good person? yes- yes

20. Are you a good person? i think so- yes i think so

21. How could you become a better person? i could compliment people more, and be happier for others.- same

22. Would/have you ever pierced your genitalia? no- no

23. Have you ever been in love? If so, with how many people? no- nah

24. Do you believe in love at first sight? nah- same

25. Which social science interests you more; psychology (how the mind effects a person), sociology (how society affects a people) or anthropology (learning about culture)? Why? psychology, idk.-- psychology

26. Have you ever orgasmed? no- nope

27. Have you ever made someone else orgasm? no- yes

28. During sexual interaction, what is the most important thing to you? that they really want to do this me, and that there is emotion connected between us and we are really into it and each other.- that they are into it to, i love someone who initiates it first because then i know they want it. also comfort and trust, those are extremely important, it may be something you hear over and over again, but it seriously so important, i didn’t realize until after i did it.

29. Are you comfortable being sexual with lots of people? nah, just one is good enough for me.- well i mean i would like to have different experiences with other people, but not a lot all at the same time.

30. How do you usually get people to be interested in terms of romantic relationships? And sexual relationships? And platonic relationships? uh, i never have had one.- they have always come to me, i don’t really do anything tbh, i just reciprocate if i want to

31. What’s your favourite song to sing a long to? idk, i have lots.- not about angles- birdy

32. What’s some “embarrassing” music you listen to? uh, none that i think is embarrassing. sometimes i’ll listen to old love songs cause i think they’re cute. idk if thats embarrassing, but yeah.- lol sometimes i listen to kpop if its good.

33. What are you most snobby/pretentious about? haha, nothing really.- lol nothing really

34. How do you express sad emotions? And happy emotions? uh, not really. i like being happy of course.- i express my sad emotions usually through free write poetry and my happiness just through my everyday life.

35. Do you use Skype? FaceTime? none of them really. rarely FaceTime. no Skype.- nah

36. How do you feel about phone calls? i only like them with close friends, if not i get really nervous about them and i will like get all worked up.- only if i absolutely have to

37. How do you feel about texting? i like it- its nice

38. What are your thoughts on LDRs? um, idk think they work out well. i think they should take a break and if they are both still up for it when they get back, then they can continue.- i think it can sometimes work and sometimes it can, depends on the people.

39. Have you ever cried over a piece of visual art? What was it of? Why do you think it made you cry? no- nah

40. When and why was the last time you cried? when i got lost across town and my phone just turned off lol.- i don’t remember

41. What’s something you love that you never do anymore? Why don’t you do it? read, because it takes up too much time and i don’t really have any.- write my fictional stories/books, i used to love it, but i just stopped because i didn’t have time and i was getting burned out. but i wan’t to start again soon.

42. Are you afraid to die? only if I’m young- i think i am too young to die right now, so yes i am

43. If there were no limits; who and what would you be? idk really…- an astronomer

44. Are you more likely to be sub or dom during sex? sub- sub

45. Describe your fashion sense. brandy melville sort of, but a little bit more casual then that. i like short clothes and crop shirts. I like cause lear to be honest. stuff that i won’t stand out too much, but people will still think I’m cute.- casual and athletic or beachy

46. Do you have stage fright? only when i am alone speaking yes.- in public speaking yes

47. Did/do you ever put your hand up in class? sometimes… not really though- eh not really

48. Are you more of an open or closed person? both- open definitely

49. What’s the worst thing that ever happened to you? And the best? the worst thing, idk really… and the best probably when i got dancer of the year.- same

50. Are you a theist? (Not necessarily in the way of “guy in the sky”, maybe just believing in any higher power) maybe yeah.- same

51. What are your top three places you’d like to travel and why? china/korea, paris, and brazil. they are pretty.- scotland, spain, costa rica

52. What’s something you thought would be really scary/bad, but was actually fine when it happened/you did it? putting a tampon in lol, sorry.- lol same haha and sex

53. When you sleep at friends houses, how often do you sleep in their bed? overtime basically, unless there are a lot of people over.- almost ever time unless there are more people there and we can’t, i always get the worst sleeping accomidations i swear lol.

54. Can you sleep facing someone? idk yeah. as long as they aren’t like looking at me.- lol samme

55. Do you ever get in slumps? If so; how often, and how long do they usually last for? yeah, not for very long.- yeah i do a lot haha and usually not more then a couple days

56. Do you like being alone? yes, sometimes.- not really

57. Are you social? yes

58. How do you feel about parties? i like them, i’ve just never really gone to them, cause I don’t know many people that go to them.- i like them actually, i really like parting with my friends and being a little crazy, like its really enjoyable for me haha. even though my best friend isn’t always super into them haha.

59. Have you ever hosted a party? How did it go? no- nah

60. What question(s) do you love to ask people? idk- questions about love and sex and just deep stuff about them, it’s really interesting. some people are really open and cool about it.

61. What question(s) do you love being asked? personal stuff like this- personal questions, im such an open book

62. Are you confrontational? Does it make you uncomfortable when others are? not really, and yes haha.- nah and it can be lol, i just like to keep the peace

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colourmyliving · 4 years

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Global pandemic or not, there are entire movements out there advocating living slowly and being gentle with one’s self all the time. According to Therapy Changes, being gentle with yourself means accepting where you are and what you are doing, and allowing yourself to just do the best you can, right now.

Now, since the pandemic began, we are all stuck in situations significantly different from what we’re used to. We suddenly find ourselves with a lot of free time on our hands, and it can put us under a lot of pressure to accomplish all the things we “just never had time for.” All those “motivational” posts about Shakespeare writing King Lear and Newton developing calculus while in quarantine can’t be helping your stress levels at the moment either.

While it’s good to strive to make the most of the time we’re spending at home, we must remember that the CDC has also pointed out that we’re all in the middle of something traumatic and anxiety-inducing. So actually, this is not the time to obsess about productivity. All you have to do is hold on to your sanity while waiting for life to get back to what we know.

Having said that, we do have a lot of time to fill and a lot of boredom to chase away. So here are some gentle things you can try at home – now that you’ve got a golden opportunity to slow down:

1. Listen to audiobooks

Audible has launched Audible Stories a platform where kids and kids-at-heart can stream audiobooks for the duration of the pandemic– all for free.

Their promise is reassuring: “For as long as schools are closed, we’re open.”

You can listen to classics like Moby Dick, Anne of Green Gables, Winnie the Pooh, and Harry Potter, among others– in 6 languages.

If you can’t find a title you like, you can also check out Loyal Books where thousands of public domain audiobooks are accessible for free.

Listening to audiobooks is one of the most gentle things you can do to fill your time. For a few minutes – or hours – each day, close your eyes and tag along on different adventures, and visiting new realms without ever having to take even a single step.

[themify_button bgcolor=”orange” size=”large” link=”https://www.amazon.com/hz/audible/gift-membership-detail?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1524210806852&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=colmylea-20&linkId=84a982f0069e9768c5d4b0ba083e0519″ target=”_blank” style=”flat”]Visit Audible[/themify_button]

2. Read e-books

We understand though, that some of us can only enjoy a book when we get to flip the pages and actually read the words on paper. But since going to the bookstore is not considered essential travel, e-books are the second best right now.

Kindle Oasis

Not to worry though, e-book readers like Kindle and Kobo have been working hard to give users a more ‘authentic feel’ while reading on a screen. Whenever you turn a page, it will even produce that satisfying crisp that’s music to the ears of bookworms everywhere.

An amazing companion when going through tough times is Paulo Coelho, and his gift of therapeutic writing. Lucky for us, the Brazilian author has put up some of his titles as free e-books on his official site.

Kindle Paperwhite

Kobo Clara HD

[themify_button bgcolor=”orange” size=”large” link=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=colmylea-20&keywords=ereader&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=xm2&linkId=6303982f7ee2ef542b54e98c22432d32″ target=”_blank” style=”flat”]Search eReader on Amazon[/themify_button]

3. Listen to podcasts

At a time like this, it’s important to realize that you’re not going through any of this alone. Listening to other people’s experiences can help you process all these foreign emotions, and podcasts are a great way to source this kind of material. You could also look for podcasts that focus on well-being and self-care for some more insight in to how to take better care of yourself.

Recently, the New York Times has been compiling compelling and inspiring self-recorded voice memos for its Modern Love podcast, and it has resulted in an equally beautiful and haunting collection of experiences from around the world.

How to start, if you are on an iOS or MacOS device head over to the Podcasts app. If you on an Android device, use these free podcast apps; Anchor and Google Podcasts. Other free podcast apps with optional subscription includes TuneIn, Spotify, Podcast Go, Podcast Addict, Podbean, Pocket Casts, Castbox and Doggcatcher.

4. Socialize virtually

If you’re familiar with Let’s Day Out, then it might delight you to know that they’ve rolled out a new feature called Let’s Day In.

So instead of signing up for physical cooking classes, parties, or workout sessions, you may now attend live cooking demonstrations, art classes, and even themed parties while at home. For those in self-isolation, this is a great way to socialize and meet new people online.

Here’s the best part: all events are free to join. You do have the option to donate a small amount to the World Health Organization – to help them find a cure for COVID-19.

5. Watch the beach live

Few things in life are more calming and gentle for the soul than a nice old trip to the beach. There’s something incredibly relaxing about watching the sunset with sand under your feet, and hearing the waves crash on the shore.

But when it’s not advisable to head out, you can recreate the whole beachside experience right at home. One of America’s best-known Victorian resorts, Hotel del Coronado, or simply “The Del,” offers a 24/7 livestream of the beachfront, as seen from the hotel’s veranda.

All it takes is a few moments of introspection each day to calm the body and mind, and a breathtaking view of the beach can definitely help with that. For more live beach webcams see:

50 Best Beach Cams in the U.S. – our favourite is the Waikiki Beach Cam in Hawaii

Skyline Webcams Live Top Sea Destinations

6. Spend quality time with your pet

Your pet, if you have one, is probably completely thrilled to have you around at the moment. The extra walks, the time for games, playing and learning new tricks. All these have been know to contribute significantly to your own better health and overall well-being. The Mental Health Foundation says spending time with animals is one of the best ways to ease anxiety and stress.

But what you don’t have a pet? Well, the next best thing is to perhaps check out some of the web cams from around the world that have been sharing live views of animals. Explore has an amazing online archive of photographs and live cams of wildlife from around the world. At any given time, you can watch the cute Giant Pandas in China, stately lions at the African Savanna, or even ospreys in Chesapeake, along with almost any animal you could possibly think of.

Even when the quarantine period is over, watching animals like this in their natural habitat is still better and less cruel than supporting zoos and safaris who keep these gentle beasts in an enclosure.

7. Learn a new craft

We have been conditioned to believe that the only skills worth learning are those that we can monetize. Some people are not wrong when they say it’s a modern-day trap to feel obligated to turn your hobbies into hustles. However that’s precisely not what slow living is all about.

Allow yourself to learn a new craft for nothing but your own enjoyment. You don’t even have to be particularly good at it, as long as you have fun. Not sure what kind of craft to make? Well, that’s what sites like Pinterest and Youtube are for!

I would personally recommend a DIY coaster or a homemade bath bomb that you yourself can enjoy using after you’ve created some.

If you’re cooped up with kids and other relatives, there are also a lot of home projects you can enjoy as a family.

8. Learn a new language

Studies by both linguists and neuroscientists point to a common thing: learning a new language is very good exercise for the brain. Whenever you feel like your brain is slowing down or “rusting,” you could start learning a few words or phrases of a foreign language everyday to keep your brain stimulated.

We don’t recommend intensive studying that might cause too much stress, too. Aside from fun apps like Duolingo or Memrise, you can simply read children’s books or watch cartoons in the foreign language you want to learn. Media that’s meant to be consumed by kids are likely to use simple words and simple sentences that even foreigners can start learning.

RELATED: Best Free Apps to Learn a Language

9. Feed your inner Potterhead

If you remember how quickly morning turned to night whenever you read Harry Potter as a kid, Hogwarts is Here can recreate the same sensation now. It’s a social networking site created by Harry Potter fans– for fellow Harry Potter fans. Once you’ve set up an account, you can enroll in classes like Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Astronomy, among others. Accomplishing tasks can also earn you house points.

Alternatively, you can take a virtual tour of all the Harry Potter landmarks around London. See Your City tour guides will bring you along, but not without sorting you into your Hogwarts house first! J.K. Rowling has also just released a new website called Harry Potter At Home, a new platform to keep kids entertained.

10. Go on virtual museum tours

Not such a big Harry Potter fan? No worries. There are a lot of essential art galleries that have opened up virtual tours for you to enjoy from the safety of your home. Not just that, Google’s Arts and Culture has a list of more than 2000 museums and galleries to browse through and some to visit virtually.

Here are our top picks:

The Uffizi Gallery

Located in Florence, Italy, the Uffizi is home to some of the best works of Botticelli and da Vinci, housed inside its impeccable neoclassical interior.

The Guggenheim, New York

The iconic spiral staircase designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is a must-visit for anyone visiting New York, but we also have this opportunity to go around and see Catherine Opie’s self-portraits from anywhere in the world. Visit the Guggenehim Museum virtually.

Van Gogh Museum

If you agree that the world was never meant for one as beautiful as Vincent Van Gogh, a virtual tour around the VGM in Amsterdam is the way to go.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

If you’re a fan of Korean art, Google can take you through all six storeys of Seoul’s most visited museum.

Google’s Arts And Culture

11. Revisit your bucket list

Finally, you can take out your old bucket list and update it. Chances are, you’d be surprised to find out how much you’ve accomplished so far. At the same time, a new bucket list can help you come up with things to look forward to when this is all over. List all the cities you’d like to visit, food you’d like to taste (or make), and adventures you want to seek out. After all, all of us need a little something to look forward to right now.

Again, it’s never good to over-think or worry at a time like this. Hopefully, these gentle things can help you commit to living a slow life. After all, slow living is soulful living. And global crisis or not, self-care is always a good idea.

11 Gentle Things You Can Try at Home to Fill Your Time Global pandemic or not, there are entire movements out there advocating living slowly and being gentle with one’s self all the time.

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cynthiajayusa · 6 years

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‘Widows’ Star Viola Davis Talks LGBTQ Evolution

Viola Davis taps my hand when she really means what she says. Each time the actress reaches over to make contact, the big bar in the big skyscraper in big Chicago where we are sitting diminishes. She has a way of making any space feel intimate.

The first black actor to win an Oscar, Emmy and a Tony for acting, Davis is seated diagonally from me at a larger-than-we-need table more suited for a family’s Thanksgiving gathering than a conversation between two people. She is striking in a baby-blue pantsuit and a gorgeous, billowing afro, owning the space she occupies much like the way she owns the screen, having granted vulnerability and humanity to some of TV, theater and film’s most unforgettable women for three decades.

Her knack for investigating the deepest human depths of her characters is best illustrated in a single scene, as a loving, anguished mother in 2008’s Doubt, her indelible breakthrough. Later, she starred as Aibileen Clark in The Help (she previously played another maid in gay director Todd Haynes’ 2002 film Far From Heaven), and in Suicide Squad and Fences, which won her an Oscar. And as criminal defense attorney Annalise Keating on ABC’s hit drama How to Get Away with Murder, she is a mighty force.

Davis’s signature resilience once again pervades tenacious crime-boss Veronica Rawlins in 12 Years a Slave and in director Steve McQueen’s socially charged action-thriller Widows, notably featuring a lead cast mostly comprised of actresses of color.

After spending the early years of her career not recognizing her power even though we did, Davis, 53, does now, she tells me. The obvious question: “Do gay men feel compelled to bow down to you?” I ask, moments into the candid conversation that awaits us, which has Davis reflecting on how she learned to love the LGBTQ community and why she feels her best role was as a man. Smiling, she lights up and leans back. “You know what, yeah, they do.”

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These badass women doing badass things in a world where sometimes these women are told that they can’t do them…

Absolutely.

How do you explain the connection between these strong women you play and the LGBTQ community?

Because I think the LGBTQ community feels like they’re on the periphery. They feel like they’re not seen, they feel like they’re not worthy, they feel like they’re not valued. And there’s no answer to that, other than the fact that you’re not heterosexual. Really, that’s it. That’s what I think, and I certainly feel the same way, as someone who has been marginalized my entire life. Listen, when I think about myself, I am everything within me. I’ve had boyfriends, people think I’m cute (laughs). I’m funny! I’m telling you, I’m all of those things. And I cannot stand labels. I cannot stand them.

Did you have something to do with Annalise’s sexual fluidity, then?

I had everything to do with that. And so did (creator) Pete Nowak; I can’t leave him out. I really have to give him credit for that too. But yeah, absolutely. And also, I Am Jazz: I was watching that one night. I love that show. But I was watching that one night and (trans TV star and model Jazz Jennings) was playing in the closet with one of her friends who was a trans teenager, and it was just great. They were talking about who they see themselves with in the future, and they were like, “Whoever, you know. I’m open. I’m open to a boy, I’m open to a girl.” And they started talking about just the attributes of the people they wanted to be with.

That transformed me more than anything. I thought, “That is the greatest thing in the world,” and I thought that that was a great idea for Annalise because Annalise is so damaged, so traumatized that what if she just said, “I’m just open to love”? God, think about what we can explore there.

Are you inspired by this generation of young people who identify as sexually fluid?

Totally, with everything. My generation – I always say, “The black and Hispanic people liked disco and the white people liked rock ’n’ roll.” That was my generation. And there was no language for homosexuality – only fear.

Growing up in Rhode Island, what was your introduction to the LGBTQ community?

Hmm… probably through… that’s a difficult question. I’m gonna say this: My friend… shit. This is menopause, ’cause I was just talking about him. Slim! My friend Slim! And I’ll say him, even though it’s more than just him, because I just did have a lot of gay friends. I’m a theater geek!

But my introduction into, especially the gay and the trans community, was Slim. And the reason why I say that is because it challenged even my idea of sexuality, because we were just friends and he had a girlfriend, and then he announced to me that he was gay, and then it went from that to him borrowing my clothes, my dresses. I was like, “Oh, OK! You can borrow my dresses!” So he would take my dresses, and then it went from that to him dropping out of school – and of course we still continued our friendship. And then it went from that to him wearing my makeup.

I just remember going with it, of course, because I loved him. It was my first introduction into a different level of sexuality that no one talked about. He had a group of young men that lived with him who were all trans and he called them his “sons and daughters.” Some were gay, some were trans, some were transvestite, and it was my first introduction into the fluidity of sexuality.

You said this was going to be a difficult question for you to answer, but it wasn’t.

It wasn’t difficult, I know. I guess not.

Was reconciling your Christian upbringing with your acceptance of homosexuality a challenge for you?

I guess it was a little – it was. But I loved him. I have to say I loved him, so I felt it was on me to shift my thinking and it was up to me to understand him. I will say I went with it, but it was my first introduction to understanding it. When I was on Facebook, I did have my Facebook friend Nika (Lomazzo, a trans woman and activist) and she really schooled me. So every day I would go to her site and she would school me and I said, “I’ve been to school; I’m just gonna learn.” She’s a trans woman, so I was schooled (with) just certain language.

The first time you kiss a same-sex love interest played by Famke Janssen – did your mother ever see that episode of How to Get Away with Murder even though you didn’t want her to?

Yep!

You said that you weren’t gonna show it to her.

I didn’t show it to her! She saw it on her own!

And?

She was good with it – because my niece is gay and at 9, 10 years old she told her mom, my sister: “Mom, I like girls,” and my sister said, “OK. Well, are you OK?” She said, “I think I’m fine.” She was like, “OK, well I’m good too.” And that was their conversation.

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You starred in one of the most notable queer films ever made: Todd Haynes’ Far From Heaven. How do you reflect on your role in that film?

The maid? I liked that movie. I loved that movie.

And the role?

I mean, the role was a maid. I’m done with the maids. But that was in the beginning of my career. I wasn’t really awoke then – not as awoken as I am.

You recently admitted to having issues with The Help.

Yeah, I did.

Looking back on The Help and Far From Heaven, what has that taught you about the importance of representation for the black and LGBTQ community?

I guess I already knew it then, too, but I never thought that I had any power. I was just happy to have a job. But I think it’s important to be seen, it’s important to see your own images on the screen – and in a way that is honest.

The reason I became an actor, and it’s absolutely the reason why I became an actor: I’m a total nerd and I fell in love with Arthur Miller. He said he wrote to make people feel less alone, and that’s why I do what I do. Seriously, that’s why I do what I do. I seriously do. And so I feel responsible for any image I put out there that makes people feel alone, that makes people feel not seen, that doesn’t show fully who they are – their anger, their pain, their joy, their sexuality. That’s your job as an artist, so yeah, that’s where I’m at right now.

Have you considered the importance of you not just portraying a lesbian but a lesbian of color, a demographic so rarely portrayed on screen, and the impact that could have on the LGBTQ community?

I’ve been offered, I played: God’s Heart with Julie Kavner. We were lesbians. I played a lesbian in King Lear. It was a workshop production (at the Public Theater in New York) and actually the guy who directed it was one of the people who put together Paris Is Burning and he set King Lear in one of the gay (ball-culture) “houses” of the ’90s. And I didn’t do it, because the director told me at the last minute I probably should’ve done it, but he wanted me to compete in those gay house shows. You have to be a man pretending to be a woman or a woman pretending to be a man and the more real you are, that’s a whole competition. It’s about being as real as you can be. To me, that was the best role I’d ever done, by the way. Bar none. TV, film. It was the best role.

Why was your role in King Lear so special to you?

Because I had to play a lesbian who was pretending to be a man and I went home – I am telling you, I said, “I am gonna hit this” (bangs fist against palm). So I felt like I really transformed into a man. I thought it was totally believable! And Nicole Ari Parker was my girlfriend! Every time we see each other, I’m like, (excitedly waves her arms) “Hey!”

I feel like gay men must come up to you all the time and quote Annalise’s iconic line, “Why is your penis on a dead girl’s phone?” Is that line still following you around?

I mean, I don’t know what it is about that line – maybe just ’cause it was so unexpected! So I keep quoting or thinking about Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, because I feel like gay men like that movie too. I love that movie. And there’s a lot of reasons why. I think its Judy Garland too, you know?

Right, a gay icon.

Yeah. You understand why. But also, this is my thing: She keeps talking about going home and wanting to go home, and then in the end the Good Witch tells her (she) had the power to go home all along. I know, even as a black woman, that feeling. I have the power within to be the change I wanna see, to have the life I wanna have; it’s already in me.

People strip us of our worth and the potency of our worth and the potency of our power so much. I see it because… listen, I’m socialized on steroids (laughs). The number of people I meet every day who interview me, who I have to meet at parties and social gatherings, because I’m an actor – one of the things I’ve noticed, ’cause I love looking at different reporters who come in and imagining who they are, who they love, and I love it. And there have been (people) who come in from the LGBTQ community – and now there’s more trans men, trans women reporters, and it’s a “coming out” and stepping into who you are. You gotta love it.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/11/29/widows-star-viola-davis-talks-lgbtq-evolution/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2018/11/widows-star-viola-davis-talks-lgbtq.html

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demitgibbs · 6 years

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‘Widows’ Star Viola Davis Talks LGBTQ Evolution

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These badass women doing badass things in a world where sometimes these women are told that they can’t do them…

Absolutely.

How do you explain the connection between these strong women you play and the LGBTQ community?

Did you have something to do with Annalise’s sexual fluidity, then?

Are you inspired by this generation of young people who identify as sexually fluid?

Growing up in Rhode Island, what was your introduction to the LGBTQ community?

You said this was going to be a difficult question for you to answer, but it wasn’t.

It wasn’t difficult, I know. I guess not.

Was reconciling your Christian upbringing with your acceptance of homosexuality a challenge for you?

The first time you kiss a same-sex love interest played by Famke Janssen – did your mother ever see that episode of How to Get Away with Murder even though you didn’t want her to?

Yep!

You said that you weren’t gonna show it to her.

I didn’t show it to her! She saw it on her own!

And?

youtube

You starred in one of the most notable queer films ever made: Todd Haynes’ Far From Heaven. How do you reflect on your role in that film?

The maid? I liked that movie. I loved that movie.

And the role?

I mean, the role was a maid. I’m done with the maids. But that was in the beginning of my career. I wasn’t really awoke then – not as awoken as I am.

You recently admitted to having issues with The Help.

Yeah, I did.

Looking back on The Help and Far From Heaven, what has that taught you about the importance of representation for the black and LGBTQ community?

Have you considered the importance of you not just portraying a lesbian but a lesbian of color, a demographic so rarely portrayed on screen, and the impact that could have on the LGBTQ community?

Why was your role in King Lear so special to you?

I feel like gay men must come up to you all the time and quote Annalise’s iconic line, “Why is your penis on a dead girl’s phone?” Is that line still following you around?

Right, a gay icon.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/11/29/widows-star-viola-davis-talks-lgbtq-evolution/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/180620914505

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hotspotsmagazine · 6 years

Text

‘Widows’ Star Viola Davis Talks LGBTQ Evolution

youtube

These badass women doing badass things in a world where sometimes these women are told that they can’t do them…

Absolutely.

How do you explain the connection between these strong women you play and the LGBTQ community?

Did you have something to do with Annalise’s sexual fluidity, then?

Are you inspired by this generation of young people who identify as sexually fluid?

Growing up in Rhode Island, what was your introduction to the LGBTQ community?

You said this was going to be a difficult question for you to answer, but it wasn’t.

It wasn’t difficult, I know. I guess not.

Was reconciling your Christian upbringing with your acceptance of homosexuality a challenge for you?

The first time you kiss a same-sex love interest played by Famke Janssen – did your mother ever see that episode of How to Get Away with Murder even though you didn’t want her to?

Yep!

You said that you weren’t gonna show it to her.

I didn’t show it to her! She saw it on her own!

And?

youtube

You starred in one of the most notable queer films ever made: Todd Haynes’ Far From Heaven. How do you reflect on your role in that film?

The maid? I liked that movie. I loved that movie.

And the role?

I mean, the role was a maid. I’m done with the maids. But that was in the beginning of my career. I wasn’t really awoke then – not as awoken as I am.

You recently admitted to having issues with The Help.

Yeah, I did.

Looking back on The Help and Far From Heaven, what has that taught you about the importance of representation for the black and LGBTQ community?

Have you considered the importance of you not just portraying a lesbian but a lesbian of color, a demographic so rarely portrayed on screen, and the impact that could have on the LGBTQ community?

Why was your role in King Lear so special to you?

I feel like gay men must come up to you all the time and quote Annalise’s iconic line, “Why is your penis on a dead girl’s phone?” Is that line still following you around?

Right, a gay icon.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/11/29/widows-star-viola-davis-talks-lgbtq-evolution/

0 notes