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pallastrology · 3 months

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observations on pisces

artwork by georg janny

saturn in pisces ('tis the season...) suffers greatly with feelings of guilt. something else they can struggle with is fear. the fear is often existential, and the natives experience it from a young age. they will often 'ritualise' their fears, creating structures that help them feel safe and protected, but in doing so, these structures can actually intermingle with their sense of guilt and lead to them feeling responsible for things no person is. they really do have the weight of the world on their shoulders sometimes.

pisces suns are often labeled as easily influenced, and while this isn't entirely untrue, i think it's a bit oversimplified. pisces is receptive and sensitive, taking in a lot from their environment and reading between the lines easily. they are a mutable sign, and so aren't naturally stubborn people. but when well-developed, sun in pisces is a very self-aware placement and that reflective, open nature helps them to actually become quite sure about their beliefs and values. so i suppose, an undeveloped pisces sun will be easily influenced, but maybe not a pisces sun in general.

with pisces in the seventh house, the stereotype is that the native is the type to dream about a prince charming figure who'll sweep them off their feet. in reality, this placement is more likely to not really know what they want from a relationship, to struggle with healthy boundaries, and to feel they have to save - or be saved by - their partner. it takes time and steady reflection to understand where these difficulties come from and how to heal their relationship with love.

mars in pisces tends to really struggle with conflict. they turn it over and over, ruminating endlessly. should i have said this? done that? did i go too far? pisces almost always struggles with boundaries and emotional conflict, but with mars here there's so much energy directed to working on these issues, it can feel like an impassable bridge to the native. as much as they struggle however, they are also fiercely caring, sensitive and surprisingly brave individuals, who can push themselves hard when they are connected to something important.

pisces moons will often disappear when things overwhelm them. they can get a reputation for being a bad friend because of this, despite their caring nature. while they can easily fall into despair over the issue, it doesn't need to be permanent; a big learning curve for these natives is learning to both not induce this crushing overwhelm and urge to vanish, and to better manage their emotions and health when things pop up unexpectedly. embracing their sister sign, virgo, can be a way forward here.

mercury in pisces, when writing or otherwise creating, is very sensitive to the feeling of their medium. so with words, for example, the word has to evoke the right feeling before it's considered to be the right word for the native to use. they are actually pretty perfectionistic in this sense, though their creations can seem to lack a strong, distinctive style; they are mutable after all, and this quality shines through in their work, as they flit through various influences and inspirations.

pisces ascendants get a reputation for being sweet and shy. while they are on the shy side, they are highly receptive and read deeply into what's going on around them, absorbing the atmosphere like a sponge does water. it's a placement that's often infantilised, probably because neptunian placements in general are easily misunderstood. but pisces risings are not so much innocent little faery children; they're a little reclusive, highly attuned to those around them, and easily confused by their own emotions and reactions.

venus in pisces is selfless to a fault, but there's an interesting process going on beneath the native's awareness. they often have a romanticised view of selflessness as a concept, and idealise being nice and giving. so while they are genuinely kind, caring and self-sacrificing people, they do gain something, unconsciously, from giving themselves to others; it bolsters their sense of self and lifts their often low view of themselves. which is part of why it can be so hard for them to set healthy boundaries and stop giving everything to everyone.

#pallastrology #astro community #astrology #astrology blog #astrology posts #pisces #astro notes #astro observations #astrology notes

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hausofneptune · 5 months

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"sweet" takes / aspects and placements that deserve more love!

[astro notes no. 004]

since i did that “spicy” takes post i wanted to also make a post in defense of the negative takes i hear about certain signs/placements and showing some love to the ones that i feel like don't get as much appreciation as they deserve! hope y'all enjoy! ♡

disclaimers | masterlist | ask

[content warning: abuse, addiction, self-harm/suicide. nothing detailed or explicit, just a warning for those who want to avoid these topics.]

༄ aquarius placements are not unemotional sociopaths and honestly this is such a goofy ass take. aquarius’ archetype literally centers around their need to advance society and wanting to help those around them as a means to do so. can their saturnian influence make them come off as cold in their approach sometimes? sure. but the whole “aquarius doesn’t have emotions and doesn’t care about anyone’s feelings” doesn’t make any type of sense considering the fact that aquarius craves connection with others in order to feel fulfilled

༄ speaking of saturnian influence, y’all need to check up on your saturnian friends, especially if you’re below the age of 30. people tend to bring up how destructive and chaotic pluto is and the effect it can have on you if it’s tightly aspecting your personal planets, but i feel like people overlook the way that saturnian energy literally starts chipping away at you the moment you pop out the coochie. a lot of saturnians will consciously put too much on their plate because they don’t know how to function without overworking themselves, or, they’re distracting themselves from heavy emotions that they don’t want to feel. the idea of being alone with their thoughts is the most terrifying thing to them, and they would definitely benefit from having people around them that can slow them down and help them relax

༄ to any parents (or people who work with children), please be gentle with your water sign babies. especially the scorpios and pisces. i feel like we don’t give children enough credit for how intelligent they actually are, and when it comes to water sign children i promise you, they know exactly what the fuck is going on. they know that you’re stressed out, they can recognize the energy in the room, and they’re internalizing all of your emotions and can be more prone to feeling overstimulated because of it. be patient with them, and as a former water sign baby myself, give them a hug for me <3

༄ and since we’re giving out hugs, i gotta give a virtual one to my pisces and virgo placements. pisces and virgo are both signs of service, and typically opt to suffer in silence for the sake of those around them. i feel like pisces is the “worst” of the two, as pisces struggles with boundaries, and even when we’re being mistreated or abused by others we can literally convince ourselves that that’s actually not the case and that everything’s fine. pisces is also the only water sign that doesn’t have “armor” (cancer [the crab] has its shell, and scorpio [the scorpion] has its exoskeleton, claws, and stinger), which results in us getting hurt a lot. it’s typically why some pisces placements are prone to escapist tendencies, addiction, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. but pisces is the oldest of the zodiac, and there’s so much wisdom and spiritual knowledge that we unlock once we grow and evolve enough to “swim away” from the shit that doesn’t serve us

༄ and i bring this up because i feel like pisces is constantly coded as “delusional” or “hyper-emotional”, and i know y’all love pointing out how “judgemental” and “nitpicky” virgo is. and while those stereotypes can be true depending on the person, i feel like the amount of energy pisces and virgo put into helping other people is constantly overshadowed by whatever “flaws” they may have. there was a tweet i read that said “maybe the final stage in your healing journey is finally telling people to fuck off”, that’s very much so the advice i’d give to pisces and virgo. your worth is not intrinsically linked to how much pain you can withstand or how much abuse you can tolerate from people who claim to love you. you deserve so much more and i promise there’s something bigger and better waiting for you on the other side of what it is that you’re currently settling for

༄ i feel like the importance of 12H, neptune, water sign placements can often get overlooked in comparison to more practical, “realistic” planetary/sign placements. it’s definitely important to have balanced, grounded energy in your chart alongside these types of placements, but i feel like people underestimate how powerful it is to have spiritual and creative placements as well. and while these can be difficult aspects to master, i feel like once you do get to a point where you’ve done the work it can not only make you an incredible artist, but an extremely compassionate, empathetic healer. people with these placements tend to go through a lot, and experience an insane amount of turmoil. but no matter how tired you are, and no matter how misunderstood or lost you may feel, you’re here to serve a greater purpose and your craft is sacred. you have tools at your disposal that it takes people years upon years to develop, and it’s not something that should be taken for granted

i'll most likely end up doing a part two to this, but that's all i've got for now. as always, if anyone has any of the placements/aspects mentioned in this post i'd love to hear how they manifest in your life, and if you have any input in general feel free to let me know!

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akutasoda · 3 months

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I saw your requests are open so here I am! The fandom is BSD and the characters are Fyodor, Akutagawa, Yosano and Jouno (if thats not too many). Reader and them are not offically in a relationship! Reader nonchalantly brings up that their being stalked, not quite realizing the weight of their situation. What are the characters going to do about it?

never alone

synopsis - how would they react when you casually mentioned you might be being stalked

includes - yosano, akutagawa, fyodor, jouno

warnings - gn!reader, reader gets stalked, slight angst, fluff, wc - 1.3k

nowadays you always felt like something was wrong. your nomral everyday routine had an addition to it which made you uncomfortable and made you feel vulnerable. it always felt like a pair of eyes were trained onto your figure at every waking minute of the day.

the figure that you regularly saw was definitely new. it was only a handful of times but there was no way that all the times were pure coincidence? right? and why would the figure stop or turn away when you turned to check they were still following you?

after a very short while it started making you really uncomfortable. it felt like you were being constantly watched and you could no longer focus on anything else as it worried you. but truth be told you didn't know what to do. you felt like you should tell someone but you didn't want them to think you were just being paranoid and you didn't think it was that serious, so you shrugged it to the back of your mind and let it slowly eat away atyour conscience.

eventually you let it spill and you told your most trusted friend about your worries. it was an accident to start with, like you were telling a joke, so you came of very nonchalantly but they didn't take it so lightly.

akiko yosano ★↷

what had started as one of your many friendly catch-ups with yosano had now turned into a very troubling conversation. you and yosano would practically meet everyday if you didn't see eachother throughout and because you both were extremely close you two would often spill secrets or gossip.

when you casually mentioned that you thought you might be being stalked her face dropped immediately. you felt the air tense from the normally friendly atmosphere and you really only registered what you said when she asked you to repeat yourself. that's sort of when you let it all out as you finally felt you had someone to talk to about it.

her face only became visibly more concerned but she would patiently wait for you to finish telling her about every little detail. once you had finished, you felt like a weight had been lifted but immediately replaced as you then realised the situation fully.

yosano noted your current concerns and immediately offered help, help you knew she wouldn't let you refuse. she worked in a detective agency afterall, sure they dealt with more aggressive cases but stalking wouldn't be turned down especially if it was you who was suffering.

she offered to walk you home herself afterwards and that would be the first time in ages you didn't feel those eyes on you. it would also be the last as from the next day you noted that you never felt them again.

ryūnosuke akutagawa ★↷

you often would talk to akutagawa during or after a mission. he wasn't exactly talkative but you never minded and still found his company rather comforting - some may call you crazy for thinking that. and lately being in his presence made you much more comfortable as it no longer felt like you were being watched.

akutagawa may struggle with many things to do with friendships and such but he wasn't entirely dumb to not notice your recent constant discomfort. he could recognise that something was troubling you, especially when he caught your eyes frantically looking around if you were alone, and so he asked what was wrong - you were being rather distant on the current mission.

you nonchalantly mentioned about your growing discomfort and worry about someone following you constantly, you couldn't tell but his face dropped with a certain seriousness. you didn't realise and so you went to act as everything was normally but he stopped you and asked you to repeat yourself. the seriousness is his voice was something you've never heard.

he eventually got you to explain everything to him and while he didn't show anything on his face, you knew he was mad and that's when the weight of the situation dropped on you. from that day forward akutagawa made it a point to walk you anywhere. you're going home? he'll accompany you, you're heading to the shops? he needs to pick some stuff up anyway.

sometimes it felt overbearing but you knew why he was doing it and eventually after a couple of days he stopped. you really didn't have to ask about why you didn't feel watched anymore, you knew the fate akutagawa had given someone.

fyodor dostoevsky ★↷

fyodor had once told you that you were one of few he would properly engage in conversation with. most of the time that meant you telling him about your day while he chimed in with the occasional hum or question while he worked at his desk - he did barely do physical missions.

you had been busy telling him about something that you'd done that day ehile you were out and so your brain immediately went to talk about how uncomfortable you had been feeling when going anywhere. you hadn't noticed at first but fyodor stopped typing when he asked you to elaborate. what you did notice was him turning to look at you fully when you elaborated.

you let out an awkward laugh and asked if something was wrong and he immediately started asking questions. you didn't quite understand but the seriousness soon became emphasised when he offered that you stay with him that night and you really didn't want to say no after seeing how angry he seemed to be.

you would come to wake up the next morning to a nornal fyodor. he'd greet you and he seemed back to his normal self and if you asked about last night he'd justt deny anything. you would note how for the first time in ages you didn't feel like you were being constantly watched.

saigiku jouno ★↷

if time was available, you would often head round to jouno's residence to see him. it was atleast once a week so it served as a catch-up between the two of you, most of the time he was extremely busy and saw your company as a reminder to finally take a break.

you two would often spend ages talking about whatever thing that had occurred that week and it was a real safespace for you. so it was only natural that you casually mentioned how you always felt watched. you had been fiddling with your cup so you hadn't noticed jouno's face sour.

you only noticed when he asked you to elaborate and you did without second thought. jouno didn't like the fact that you had mentioned it so casually. he was a hunting dog, a morally gray one perhaps but still, he protects people and so he would be failing his duties of he couldn't protect you. it shocked you with how fast jouno was to offer you to stay round his residence that night.

you didn't say no as he seemed very dead set on you staying. when you woke and got ready to leave, he accompanied you back to your residence despite your questions about if he had work to get to. the next time you were to see jouno he seemed rather smug but you immediately told him about how you didn't feel followed anymore he only smiled more and told you that he was glad you felt safe again.

#x reader #x gender neutral reader #bsd x reader #bsd x gender neutral reader #bungo stray dogs x reader #bungo stray dogs x you #bsd x you #bsd yosano #yosano x reader #bsd akutagawa #akutagawa x reader #bsd fyodor #fyodor x reader #bsd jouno #jouno x reader

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cheriladycl01 · 2 months

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In your Dreams - Lewis Hamilton x FrenchOlympicBadminton! Reader

Plot: Lewis loves Golfing, Surfing and Skiing, so you’d think if he’d end up with an athlete he’d end up with one in one of his secondary sports. But no, hes with you on the red carpet of the debut of a movie airing about your life and your struggles before becoming the youngest Olympic Gold Medalist in Badminton, and having the most consecutive medals too.

Warning: lots of dark themes and undertones about your backstory in this one’s, specifically abuse in the system, parental pressures, grooming and SA (by an ex partner) etc

Credit to yuzuchupachups for the GIF

You walked along the red carpet outside the Leicester Square cinema where the exclusive showing of your new movie was occurring.

Lewis couldn’t keep his eyes off of you in that pretty red dress he loved. The moment he saw you in it, his brain had pretty much short-circuited and his only thoughts were off you.

He knew in the red carpet photos you’d be there radiant as ever and he’d be looking at you like some love sick puppy. But he really didn’t care, this was your night and he was here to support you … his fiancé.

“Thank you for being here tonight. I know it wasn’t easy to get time away” you smile up at him, holding him close to you and looking at him with an adoration he saw often. You knew he was busy with the season as it hadn’t started off as Mercedes Gad expected and he was under a lot of pressure from Toto that he’d been feeling overwhelmed most days.

“You know I’d do just about anything for you my Cherie” he said using the nickname you loved.

“I needed you here tonight” you smile pulling him into a kiss, the camera flashes instantly picking up speed and consistency making you giggle into the kiss.

“I know darling” he says keeping his hold on your waist tight as you walk past the photographers and paparazzi posing every now and then when they ask you to stop.

You eventually get to the people interviewing you, happier to be in a calmer than the one at the start of the carpet.

“Y/N it’s amazing to have you here tonight on the premier. Feeling right now?” She asks and a grin comes into your face.

“Amazing, honestly to have my personal story but out in such a raw and public way is such a helpful step for people who maybe or may have suffered the way I have an gives a message of hope to anyone who has ever felt the way I did that the road doesn’t end there!” You nod loving that you will be helping millions of people who have shared the same experience as you.

“So before we go in, tell us a little about the film!” She probes.

“Well, it’s starts on the note of me growing up pretty tough and with no outlook for my future, being tossed from foster to foster home, the hard times and abuse I went through there before I come across Patrick DuPont, who we know very well as my trainer and the main reason I ended up where I am today. It moves through my teens and realising I’m talented and some things and how I was naive enough to not see the manipulation and abuse I was put through as a result of that and how I was used by many. It guides you through my most important relationships with people both the most gnarly and the most pure. It’s a really moving and emotional movie that I know will being lots of people including myself to tears” you explain the rough synopsis to her, making her nod and check her pad in-front of her that an assistant was holding out for her.

“And obviously adding onto those relationships, who will we be seeing a lot of?” She asks and you nod.

“Obviously towards the start in my early childhood, you’ll see a lot of my foster parents and my childhood best friend Emilie Bustlen, as I grow up you meet Patrick and my main foster family. For legal reasons we had to change names around because of this so they are know as the Laurent’s before we meet Hunter Goshill, my ex partner and some of my competitors. Before we finally find a safe haven, in this man right here beside me” you smile pulling Lewis forward and closer to you, he looks a little shocked that he’s now in the full shot of the camera rather than off the the side and has a mic code to him.

“You guys met when Y/N was 19 and you must have been what 25, 26? How did that work in 2011?” She asks knowing that’s when you met.

“Obviously I met Y/N at a race, she was there alone walking through the paddock and I just fell in love with her. Once I worked out who she was having an Olympic gold medal I was introduced to her by my then team principle Martin Whitmarsh and I proceeded to win that race. Was Germany! Obviously the year after she was travelling to London for the Olympics and as my home country of course I came with her as it tied in nicely to my summer break. After that she was the one that convinced me to make the move to Mercedes and apart from proposing to Y/N that’s probably the best thing I’ve ever done” he admits.

“Woah, what a lovers story obviously prior to that, Y/N you were in a if you don’t mind me saying quite a pressured and dare I say toxic relationship with ex partner Hunter?” She asks and you nod looking down for a second before feeling a squeeze on your hand in reassurance.

“I mean it shows it better in the film that I can get into words, but I was very young and naive. I looked for anything that would give me the slightest bit of affection which I would often just confuse with attention. And of course that came from someone who was older than me, and knew how to take advantage of me, without it ever feeling like he had I’ll intentions because I was so desperate to feel. Lewis has thought me many things but being loved the right way is the best thing” you smile looking to your soon to be husband with pure love, no other intentions just two souls mingled together as they should be.

“Really a beautiful couple and a beautiful story, just is heartwarming finding out what you’ve been through and how Lewis has helped break those walls you spent years building. I’m so excited to see this movie, and everyone at home watching this is your sign to get to your local cinema and buy a ticket for In your Dreams: The Story of Y/N Y/L/N ” she smiles.

You nod beofre saying a polite goodbye and heading off.

You answer some more questions, some about the movie some about your goals for 2024 in Paris if you’ll get your 5th gold medal for Team France, some were as trivial as what and who you were wearing.

“God, I just want to go home to Roscoe now” you sigh as you enter the theatre, going to get some treats for you and Lewis while the movie is on.

“I know baby, just a little longer. Then we can get started on our wedding planning hmmm?” He asks looking over you and making you smile and pull him into a passionate kiss, teeth clashing and you pulling him in by the nape of his neck.

You walk past some critics giving them smiles and some small talk before they let you on your way.

You eventually sat with Lewis at the front row will all the cast and directors next to your guys as the film came up on the screen.

It was everything you’d envisioned. Tear jerking, heartwarming and moving. Lewis was brought to tears and many others in the theatre who didn’t know the full extent of your story were coming up to you after the film talking to you about your life and how your success had a whole new meaning to them now.

y/user

Liked by lewishamilton, nicorosberg and antonia.desplat

y/user: I’ve loved you since I was 19, now that I’m 32 and engaged to you, I wouldn’t want my life any other way. I love you Lew ♥️.

Thank you so much for paramountpictures making my story come to life in the new movie In your Dreams: The Story of Y/N Y/L/N

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paramountpictures: truly amazing to bring your story of strength, resilience and success to life.

-> y/user: thank you for putting your heart and souls into this project it really is magical 💥 Also thank you too, all of the actors and actresses in the movie antonia.desplat who did a fantastic job!

-> antonia.desplat: thank you for giving me this opportunity. This movie has been my big break as a struggling French actress! Merci Du Fond Du Coeur 🇫🇷♥️🥐

lewishamilton: I love you with all of my heart. I’m so proud of everything you’ve achieved this far and am proud to say I’ll be in your life for the remainder of your future successes and achievements. Je vous aime! 🐻❤️

-> y/user: Sir Lewis Hamilton - the man you are 🫶🏼

nicorosberg: that picture is so old, I took this years and years ago!

-> y/user: Nico Rosberg the OG Y/N-Hamilton shipper 🫶🏼

Instagram Story Caption:

Back on the grind 😮‍💨

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @stupidandunnecessary @clayra-g @daemyratwst @honey-belden @moonypixel @lauralarsen @vader-is-hot @ironcowboycopnickel @itsjustkhaos @the-untamed-soul @beebo86 @happylittlereader @ziejustme @lou-larcher5 @thewulf @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @chillyleclerc @chanthereader @annoyingmoonballoon @summissss @evieepepi08 @havaneseoger08 @celesteblack08 @gulphulp @fandom1ruined2me @celebstories @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhh @georgeparisole @dakotatankbig @youcannotcancelquidditch @zzonsbeek @tallbrownhairsarcastic @mellowarcadefun @ourteenagetragedy @otako5811 @countingstacksandpanicattacks @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @hopexcroc @mirrorball-6 @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @bigsimperika @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @lilypadlover @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @the-fem1n1ne-urge @21stcenturytaegi @dark-night-sky-99 @spideybv28 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @kapsylia @laneyspaulding19 @lazybot @malynn @cassielikereading @viennakarma @teamnovalak @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @jlb20416 @yourbane @teamnovalak @nikfigueiredo @fionaschicken @0picels0 @seomako @urdad-hot @formula1mount @tinydeskwriter @butterfly-lover @ironmaiden1313 @splaterparty0-0 @formula1mount @styl1shl1v

#f1 imagine #f1 x reader #formula 1 x you #formula 1 #formula one #formula one fanfiction #lewis hamilton x you #lewis hamilton x reader #lewis hamilton fashion week #lewis hamilton imagine #lewis hamilton fanfic #sir lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton #lh44 imagine #lh44 x reader #lh44 #team lh44 #mercedes amg f1

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autistichalsin · 4 months

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What are some of Halsin's flaws, in your opinion?

Halsin's flaws, personality and others, major and minor (note that some of these are a bit circumstantial):

-He can't control his baser/animal instincts, which comes out in his wildshape issues. This corresponds with bloodlust in his animal form.

-He isn't suited for Druidic leadership, as shown at the Grove, which led to disastrous consequences.

-By his own admission, he focuses too hard on the tasks important to him and lets other ones fall by the wayside.

-Due to the above, he struggles tremendously with balancing conflicting obligations; he didn't bother much with the Grove when he was trying to solve the Shadow Curse, abandoned the Grove when the player showed up (though of course that was also due to his trauma and hatred of the Archdruid role), and if romanced to Karlach, is one of the only ones who refuses to go to Avernus with her, feeling that he and he alone can start the commune for the children and their needs are greater than hers.

-He has a self-sacrificial view about what being "good" is, and feels that he has to be unhappy if he's helping; he let himself suffer as Archdruid for 100 years rather than find someone else to take the role, and in the ending, he tries to break up with a romanced player to start his commune both because of his possible abandonment issues and because he doesn't see room for his own happiness when he's trying to help people.

-As I just mentioned, he does have abandonment issues to a degree; if the player dumps him in the ending, he says he knows nothing lasts forever. If the player suggests the party go their separate ways immediately after the battle, he says it was always destined to be so, but it stings nonetheless. He is shocked when the player comes to rescue him from Orin if taken.

-While he is an extremely kind and forgiving person, he has limits, and once those have been crossed, he gets very vengeful (I.E. everyone involved in his captivity with the goblins, or saying he'd like to "do the same" to whoever killed and stuffed a young bear for decoration in one shop in Baldur's Gate).

-He misreads social cues fairly often.

-He seems better able to assert his boundaries to strangers than to his friends and loved ones, I.E., not having much of a negative reaction to a Lolthsworn Drow threatening to sell him back into slavery.

-Because nature is his way of understanding the world, he struggles to understand things through any other lens. He has little interest in other things that can't be considered part of either nature or his Druidic duties.

-He takes things very literally at times, I.E. the phrase "you can say that again."

-He doesn't bother trying to hide when he doesn't like someone (I.E. if the player has incredibly low approval with him).

-He can sometimes be insensitive on accident, such as saying "imagine the horrors" when they're in a tadpoling facility, to Wyll in particular, though he does apologize right away when called on it.

-He is slow to true anger, but sometimes quick to annoyance, at least where strangers are concerned. (This is more so the case if they question him).

-He infamously doesn't trust Drow, and while this is justified in the case of Lolth-sworn Drow, he is initially mistrustful of the player if they are a Seldarine Drow too (though later he shows far more trust of Seldarine than Lolth Drow).

-His objections to some of the evil things encountered in the game are their unnaturalness more than their evilness, fitting with the Druidic belief that evil is as much a part of the world as good. He is more upset at how unnatural the tadpoles are than anything, at least at first, and if the Dark Urge shows off the Slayer form in front of him, he says it's "most unnatural. Most foul," and says that it only serves death/murder. (It's how unnatural and unbalanced it is that it bothers him more than the form being a giant monster, basically.)

-He has a huge case of hero worship to the player, which is why he falls in love with them almost immediately after they break the Shadow Curse, and has feelings for them even sooner than that.

-He despises turnips.

#halsin #halsin silverbough #bg3 #baldur's gate 3

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saaraofthesand · 1 year

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Oda Didn’t Understand Dazai: An Opinion By Me

@catboychuuuya wanted me to elaborate on that bit in my Soukoku post about Odasaku not really understanding Dazai. I aim to please, so here I am.

Let’s begin

Part A: Buraiha Trio

Oda wasn’t necessarily a bad friend. He just didn’t really know what to do with Dazai. I actually think Ango was both a better friend toward, and had a better understanding of, Dazai (Oda pushed Dazai toward the light, but Ango was the reason he got to stay there).

Oda decided that Dazai should live in the light, but I think Ango always thought he belonged there. Like he knew that Dazai had the potential to be good.

In the prologue of the Dark Era light novel, Ango is the one truly bothered by Dazai’s apathy and suicidal tendencies. Oda has very mild reactions to all of it. Dazai is basically crying out for help, and Oda’s reactions are very indulgent (kind of “that’s nice, sweetie”).

"'Oh yeah, I created a new hot-pot recipe. Would you guys be up to trying it next time we hang out? I call it the 'superhuman stamina pot.' You can run for hours without getting tired after eating it. It’s a dream of a—'

'Not in a million years,' Ango sternly declined.

'If it keeps you from getting tired, then it might be pretty useful before a hard day's work,' I added.

'…Odasaku, that's exactly the problem right there. You're enabling Dazai. You don't speak up, and that's why he goes off the rails.'

I see. So this was what Ango meant by 'enabling' him. You learn something new every day."

Now, again, Oda was not a bad person or friend. It’s normal to joke around with your friends. But also, I think it’s pretty clear (Particularly in Storm Bringer and the Dark Era) that Dazai was genuinely struggling in the mafia. He was extremely unhappy.

Another problem with Oda is that he put Dazai on a pedestal like almost everyone else in the mafia (exceptions are Chuuya and Ango for sure).

"No matter what he did, Dazai seemed to reach heights that normal people couldn’t."

The difference between Odasaku and the rest of the mafia is that Dazai greatly admired Odasaku. He admired his belief system and resolve. That’s why I think it’s so sad that Oda didn’t really understand Dazai, because Dazai took Oda’s word as gospel.

There’s one last quote from the prologue that I want to talk about:

"We had a saying in the Port Mafia: 'The greatest misfortune for Dazai’s enemies is that they are Dazai’s enemies.' If he wanted to, he could even have a picnic in the middle of a firefight. Dazai was practically born to be in the Mafia."

This is the first case where I think it’s clear that Oda has a fundamental misunderstanding of Dazai.

Dazai was not born to be in the mafia. He was groomed to be in mafia by Mori. Mori picked him because he was an extremely intelligent, yet directionless child. I think we all spend so much time thinking of Dazai as a puppet master that we forget that he is also capable of being manipulated himself.

Dazai is eighteen during the Dark Era. Eighteen. He’s a teenager. He’s not a mastermind. He’s a lost kid in desperate need of guidance. He spent four incredibly formative years of his life suffering under Mori’s thumb (One before officially joining the mafia, three after). Odasaku was Dazai’s hope, someone he could look to instead of Mori. He wanted to be like him so badly.

Part B: Something to Live For

“Odasaku…,” Dazai said softly. “Forgive me for the absurd wording, but—don’t go. Find something to rely on. Expect good things to happen from here on out. There’s gotta be something…”

Yeah, you read that right. Dazai just presented an optimistic outlook on life.

He’s speaking to someone who has just lost his main purpose in being in the mafia, taking care of those orphans. Yet, he’s begging him to find a new reason to live anyway.

Part C: Last Words

That brings me to Odasaku’s final moments.

“‘You won’t find it,’ Odasaku said in almost a whisper. Dazai stared at him. ‘You should know that. Whether you’re on the side that takes lives or the side that saves them, nothing beyond your own expectations will happen. Nothing in this world can fill the hole that is your loneliness. You will wander the darkness for eternity.’”

Okay, so, Odasaku is right that Dazai won’t find purpose in the darkness, but he’s wrong about why. Dazai is not an empty person incapable of happiness. Even though Dazai thinks this means that Odasaku understood him well, we can’t forget that Dazai doesn’t really understand himself. His feelings. His mind. Dazai genuinely believes that nothing can make him happy, but he’s wrong and the consequences to Oda’s words are huge.

Now, Dazai thinks he’s a villain pretending to be hero. He thinks he’s inherently empty. WHICH IS WRONG.

Think about why Dazai went to Oda’s side in the first place. Because Oda was his friend. Dazai put his personal feelings first in that situation, and he does that more often than people tend to notice. He’s actually motivated by emotions a lot.

During Storm Bringer, Dazai basically moves Heaven and Earth to stop Verlaine and keep Chuuya in the mafia.

“‘I joined the Mafia because of an expectation I had. I thought if I was close to death and violence—close to people giving in to their urges and desires, then I would be able to see the inner nature of humankind up close. I thought if I did that…’ Dazai paused before continuing, ‘…I would be able to find something—a reason to live.’”

We have to remember who prompted Dazai to think that, Chuuya. An idea born from Dazai’s relationship to another person, not the idea itself, was what made him join the mafia.

Ranpo is definitely autistic coded, but so is Dazai. Since No Longer Human was extremely influential on BSD, and that novel has a lot of autobiographical elements in it, it makes sense that Dazai seems autistic. After reading No Longer Human myself, I really do think that Osamu Dazai (the author) was autistic. Yōzō’s (the protagonist of No Longer Human) behavior is very autistic. I mean, at one point, he describes masking verbatim.

I’m mentioning this because I think that what Dazai hopes to understand is not a reason to live itself, but other people’s motivation to live. It’s an extension of the very autistic feeling of alienation from other people. Dazai thinks there’s something wrong with him because despite caring about other people a lot, he has trouble understanding their illogical behavior. He also struggles to understand his own illogical behavior.

I also think this is why Oda struggles to understand Dazai. Because people who aren’t autistic usually struggle to understand autism. Autistic people often get profiled as ‘sociopaths’ (an outdated term that refers to Antisocial Personality Disorder) and are seen as emotionless monsters.

Dazai distances himself from other people as a defense mechanism. In his own words, “I always lose the things I don’t want to lose the most. That’s why I don’t feel anything anymore. The moment you get your hands on something worth going after, you lose it. That’s just how things are. There is nothing worth pursuing at the cost of prolonging a life of suffering.” I think that indicates that he cares very much about the people in his life, but that he also lives in constant fear of losing them.

Conclusion

I don’t know how well I articulated any of this (I’m neurodivergent, can you tell?), but my point is that Odasaku took a lot about Dazai at face value, instead of trying to peel back the layers and understand him as a person. He ended up dehumanizing Dazai a bit in the process.

Dazai is far from perfect, but he’s also not inhuman.

I think about this quote from Atsushi a lot, “People need to be told they’re worthy of being alive by someone else or they can’t go on.” Like, what would have happened if someone told Dazai his life was worth living even without some grand purpose?

#bsd #bungou stray dogs #bungo stray dogs #dazai osamu #osamu dazai #no longer human #sakunosuke oda #oda sakunosuke #the dark era

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servantofthefates · 30 days

Text

What It Means to be Plutonian, Venusian, Jupiterian…

Having your Sun and your Ascendant in Scorpio is not always enough for you to be considered Plutonian. And even if you have determined that Venus attended your birth, that may not be sufficient for you to be called Venusian.

What is required is a solid placement, which is achieved when on the day of your birth, a god was in his domains or in other places he enjoys, while forming sextiles or trines to energies that are compatible with him, as well as oppositions to those that are not.

If you are Apollonian

Victory comes easily to you. Not only do you have the drive to achieve, you find yourself winning even in times when you did not work for it. Extended periods of gloomy weather have a negative effect on your mental strength and emotional stability.

If you are Dianic

Male or female, you possess masculine strength, even if outwardly you look obviously feminine. Your intuition is both a blessing and a curse to you. On one hand, it helps you navigate life. On the other, it tells you when your wishes will never come true.

If you are Mercurian

You have a way with words. Whether through speaking or writing, you can enchant people to trust your intentions. You straddle between introversion and extroversion. When with others, you crave being alone. When with yourself, you are thirsty for companions.

If you are Venusian

Even if you do not fit your society’s definition of beautiful, you are attractive anyway. Something about you is alluring to other people either way. But you will always yearn for more beauty, resulting in a hot and cold relationship with your self-esteem.

If you are Martian

You never back down in the face of opposition. You fight battles you do not even believe in, just to spite your opponent. You will eternally struggle between choosing the path that serves yourself and others alike, and picking the one that puts you above them all.

If you are Jupiterian

Material abundance comes easily to you. Even when you think you are having a bout of lack, upon comparing your situation with that of your peers, you will still find yourself on top. Any display of selfishness from you is always punished harshly.

If you are Saturnian

You love structure, because it is how you climb the ladder of life. You despise people who cheat and take shortcuts. Your envy and jealousy make you suffer a crisis of faith occasionally. But you still stick to the rules and pursue a straight path at the end of the day.

If you are Uranian

There are days when you deem yourself a visionary, and days when you are sure you are a fool. Your occult powers make you think you are better than everybody, and yet you struggle with self-worth. Your friends are both your disease and your cure.

If you are Neptunian

You are not sure if your visions are real or simply manifestations of your rich imagination. Having faith in them will liberate you from your fears and insecurities. You are by default emotionally weak. It is a life-long mission for you to remedy this.

If you are Plutonian

You have a strong sense of justice that others do not understand. What to you is fairness they see as vengeance. What to you is self-love they dub as cruelty. Your darkness can be sensed by some animals. They will react to it with fear or aggression.

If you think none of this applies to you, it may be because you do not belong to any of these categories. Some natal charts are lukewarm, or in a more positive light, balanced: no particular god or goddess is clearly the reigning deity. This also happens when the god or goddess who attended your birth, is, upon closer look, being undermined by a rival lord.

#Astrology #Paganism #Witch tips #Witchblr #servantofthefates #Astrology tips #All About Paganism #All About Astrology

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deathmetalunicorn1 · 1 month

Note

Hi! Is it okay to request another of Poseidon x Reader who's Kyogre's Priestess?

where Poseidon is a Yandere and they first meet during the Ragnarok

Add ideas:

Reader as a Human Highter and her Volundr would be her pokemon partner (or Kyrogre)

-Many knew of these wonderous creatures called Pokemon, creatures capable of unnatural things, and those they called trainers, who would partner with Pokemon, battling with each other to see who’s the strongest, working alongside together to build up the world, and being friends.

-There were many Pokemon and trainers in Valhalla, ones that had proved themselves worthy of ascending to Valhalla, people like you.

-You weren’t a trainer, per say, you had a Pokemon, a Psyduck, who was your baby, but you were a priestess, one who watched over one of the legendary Pokemon, Kyogre, ruler of the seas.

-You took care of the temple of Kyogre, welcoming pilgrims, praying to your sea god, and tending to his needs the few rare times that he visited your temple, hearing your calls, knowing he was safe there and could rest easy.

-When you passed you kept to your duties, watching over Kyogre until he passed as well, falling alongside Groudon, the two finishing their feud with their passing in one last fight.

-When Kyogre found you in the ocean area of Valhalla, he was pleased to see a familiar face, both you and Psyduck and he chose to watch over the oceans of Valhalla, alongside other deities of the deep.

-When Ragnarok was announced, you worried for humanity, and you worried for Pokemon, as they needed each other, as the bonds between them, even wild Pokemon, relied on humans for safety and care.

-Kyogre stunned you by coming to you, knowing the impending battle and he nudged at your hands, as if saying that he wanted to fight too, as he knew the same thing you did, without humanity, Pokemon would struggle and suffer.

-Brunnhilde accepted your request to fight, holding Kyogre in a Pokeball, just for this tournament, then you would free him as he should always be.

-When you walked out to fight, many voiced their concern, seeing a priestess there, not a warrior like previous combatants, and they were worried for your safety.

-Poseidon didn’t look impressed with you, thinking you would be an easy target until you called out Kyogre, who roared out, stunning everyone in attendance.

-They became even more stunned when your body and his own started to glow, as he became your Volundr, fusing his soul with your own.

-When the light faded, you looked so different, like you were part Pokemon yourself, you looked like a warrior now, ready to fight.

Picture above belongs to the artist to drew it.

-Poseidon was curious, seeing that you were fused with a Pokemon, the ruler of the seas if he remembered correctly, it made him curious of the bond you had with Kyogre to be able to fuse like that.

-Poseidon knew that you respected the seas, as he had seen you before, but never bothering with you, as you were beneath him, since you were a human, but you’ve managed to get his attention, he found you more respectful than the other humans, due to your position and new power.

-As Poseidon dodged an attack, shooting a sharp stream of water at him, he couldn’t help but smirk, he was going to win, but not kill you, not willing to risk Kyogre, but he also didn’t want to kill you. He was curious about you, and he wanted to know more.

#record of ragnarok #ror x reader #ror poseidon

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shattersstar · 9 months

Note

ok but we need to hear more about college dick now👀👀

hehe ask and u shall receive because ohhh myyy dick in college is such a messsssssss but like so pretty it’s almost unfair

—

i love the idea of dick and a bunch of his friends getting a house together with the intent of being Normal for the first time in a while, which means being absolute menaces as most 20 smth yr old guys are

very much known for being a party house bordering a frat but all the guys r so nice that it’s rlly hard to think of them like that. it’s a space where he can let go, feel like himself and with the encouragement of his friends, dick puts the brakes on like relationship hunting and just has fun..

he’s been in pretty committed relationships since he was old enough to be and has always struggled with casual dating let alone sleeping with people he barely know. but when dick learns there r ppl out there looking for the same thing and not everyone wants to b the next future ex mr/mrs. grayson it makes it a lil easier to be his charming self with no bounds <33

and then he mets you and it’s the usual routine, flirting you to his bedroom which is in the basement—of course—well alllllmost doing so until you vanish out of his grasp for reasons dick cannot discern (you weren’t here for him silly)

and while he’s not like one of those oh i wanted to hit and couldn’t so im gonna chase you types, dick does have to reconcile with the fact your friends with roy and spend a lot of time at the house now

which also means he learns how cool you r and how goofy he feels for just tryna sleep with you

and despite his friends vouching for him you really only see (and have heard the numerous rumours) dick as a rich playboy and that’s not for you. plus he’s def a business or poli sci major……….but with a psych minor bc it feels the most practical despite how boring dick finds most of his classes

though when he realizes your both in a psych elective together he’s all toothy grins and obnoxious air which isn’t helping his case but of course he’s a decent student and when you mentioned hating statistics—you were stuck with the worse prof outta the two—dick jumped at the chance to help

you were sooooooo skeptical and even though agreed you kept brushing him off until dick just started helping you when you were over to hang out. he drops a textbook in your lap while sitting in roy’s bed or starts reviewing your notes and adding examples while your hanging out on the living room floor building lego sets with everyone else.

and dick did that a lot—sure it was his house and roy was his best friend along with all of his other housemates but dick never hesitated to insert himself into whatever you were doing when you came over. and it shouldn’t surprised you but everyone being so..unbothered by it had you confused. like maybe that’s how dick is but it spoke bounds to their closeness and was the First time you actually saw a little more to dick than just some campus hottie douchebag who threw parties to get laid

and while you weren’t about to tell dick that, you did start coming over with the intent of working on stats together. it usually meant dick having to re-lecture whatever your prof barely managed to explain and helping you with the page long equations needed for assignments

and dick keeps it as platonic as possible, on a mission to prove he’s not the person you think he is and not only because he wanted to be with you—well yeah he does—but because dick cares what you think about him. he knows his friends care about you and value what you have to say and he wants you to know it’s the same for him

and maaaybe you see that too but dick needs to suffer a little more

—

bonus: you talk to dick abt ppl you’re interested in at some point (either genuinely or to mess with him) when he insists on always hanging out with you and roy. and while he gives advice with a smile, still trying to prove his capacity for mature, platonic relationships, dick screams into his pillow later that night when he goes over the convo again and again and agai—

bonus bonus: he’s probably on the school’s gymnastics team <3

#very loosely formatted as most things written in my notes r #dick grayson x reader #dick grayson imagine #nightwing imagine #nightwing x reader #dc x reader #dc imagine #writing

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belit0 · 11 months

Note

Hello!! I'd love to see Madara with a single mama. Baby could be hers and the dad died or poofed, or could be her friends passed and in their will they requested her to care for the baby. With Madaras temperament I think a little girl would be so perfect! She'd put flowers in his hair or share her bows and no one dares say A THING about it. Please and thank you!!

As soon as I received this request, I had to write it, because I love Madara's tender side (and having a break from nsfw things is also nice)!🤗💕

This ended up being way longer than I anticipated, I hope you like it!

(Y/N) finally realized the depth of her problems when she held her baby in her arms, the physical proof that things were not going to be easy at all. Of course, she adored her little girl, and after giving birth alone and unaided, without any support, she knew it would be the two of them against the world.

One night of passion and need turned into a lifelong contract with the one she now carries in her arms, and nine months of pregnancy were far from easy. (Y/N) only wanted to feel alive, experience some sort of sensation, and she made the mistake of getting involved with a man who was only interested in the bounty between her legs.

With no clan, no family, and no friends, she went through gestation on her own, until the physical changes in her body would no longer allow her to work. She couldn’t do anything to earn a living, resorting to begging for charity among the wealthy as her only source of income.

Childbirth was devastating and traumatic, full of uncertainty and terror. The pain was overriding, and (Y/N) had to sneak into an abandoned barn in order to give birth indoors. She didn't know if she or the baby would survive, pushing and struggling alone to finally meet the only bit of happiness in her life. After hours of suffering, hearing her daughter's cry gave her back her willpower, and she forgot all her negative thoughts.

It would be difficult, but the two of them would make it together.

(Y/N) found a new motivation in her little ray of sunshine, and fortunately, people were kinder when donating money because of the baby in her arms. For years, she managed to get by, doing her best to find shelter and food.

When her child was five years old, (Y/N) knew things had to change. Her daughter could not grow up on the streets, exposed to any person or factor that would harm her, and the woman became determined to find a permanent destination for them both.

She asked anyone who might be willing to talk to her about possible inexpensive and friendly places to go, and got information about a particular territory. The journey would be long and laborious, a month of walking at least, but as the person who gave her the information related, "Senjus are the most compassionate and empathetic clan in the whole world, if anyone will help you, it will be them."

Ignorant of the war and all the chaos surrounding that particular family, (Y/N) embarked on a journey to find them, praying the legends about the mighty Hashirama were true.

The first weeks passed without any problem, fifteen days of movement where she met people kind enough to give them both a hot meal and a place to spend a few nights. Her little girl resisted the adversities alongside her like a warrior and never stopped smiling. Her attitude helped (Y/N) stay afloat, fighting against life to reach their destination.

The last two weeks of the trip got chaotic, with hints of war along every road they traveled. Near Senju territory, all the houses seemed to be abandoned, and the territory completely destroyed. Trees had been reduced to ashes, residences collapsed, the skies were gray and filled with smoke.

It was a battlefield, and she walked into it without any qualms.

A feeling told her something was wrong, and her daughter refused to walk in those surroundings, demanding to be carried in her arms out of fear. After a few kilometers of walking, she realized she would find no shelter or help there, and decided to retrace her steps.

They would find a more promising route.

A strange sound sings on the horizon, and (Y/N) can see how the heavens turn red. Clouds seem to bleed, as hurricane-force winds wake up unprecedentedly from the ground. The panorama becomes apocalyptic, triggering panic and terror in the two of them. She hugs her little girl and crouches to the ground, trying to hide her face from such brutal and sudden weather.

Two groups of five people each approach from opposite sides, as if they are about to confront each other. A few meters away from her, they run at impossible speeds, and the attack swiftly begins. Fire and water fly everywhere, screams, and metal on metal.

Smoke and debris fly through the sky, landing near where (Y/N) is reduced. She knows they must flee, and her little girl's cries indicate urgency. She has to get them to safety right now, or something terrible could happen.

Quickly scanning her surroundings, she finds no place to hide, the ground crumbling to dust and ruins. Far from any structure that could shelter them and make them go unnoticed, (Y/N) squeezes her daughter tightly, and hopes those men are too intent on their battle to notice them.

She decides to run in the opposite direction of the battle, standing again on shaky legs and holding back tears. There is so much dust in the air it is impossible to see, and she keeps her child's face hidden in her chest for protection. Holding the infant with one arm, she covers her eyes with the other in an attempt to move forward.

While taking her first unsteady steps, there is an embracing heat coming towards them, feeling almost as if about to be burned alive. Everything happens so fast there is no time to react, instinctively acting. Her first impulse is to scream, clutching her little girl tightly and hoping to shield her from whatever might be happening.

An incredible explosion hits just a few meters from where she is standing, and the shockwave sends them both flying backward. In the air, (Y/N) continues to hold her daughter, an inexplicable force helping to keep her close to her. She has a few seconds to calculate how to position her body and be the one to hit the ground, but it never happens.

Before she can slam into anything, two large hands grab her under her legs and shoulder blades, holding them both and pulling them away from the floor. The event is sudden (Y/N) cannot comprehend what is happening, only seeing the face of a man both handsome and terrifying holding them in his arms, preventing them from falling to the ground.

(Y/N) feels the cold armor the man wears against her body, rising and falling with his agitated breathing. Long, frizzy black hair hides half of his face, and upon making eye contact, she is met with an unnaturally red eye.

At that moment, she falls prey to an overwhelming drowsiness, and can only think of her daughter as she falls asleep against her will.

......

"That was close, you know..." A male voice booms against her ears, as (Y/N) tries to gain order and command of her body. All her muscles feel exhausted as if she has gone days without moving. She struggles to open her eyes, but when she does, she finds a cozy room, lit only by candles.

A window indicates it is nighttime, and the mattress under her body feels comfortable and warm. Examining her surroundings, the woman notices she is lying on a large bed, and wearing clothes that are not hers.

"My daughter..." she whispers feebly, trying to sit up and get out of her comfortable rest. "Don't worry, she's fine. Last time I went to see her, Izuna was with her buying candy."

(Y/N) focuses her eyes on that disembodied voice, and is met with a heavenly image. A handsome man with prominent shoulders is sitting against the sliding door of the room, looking out into the starry night and admiring the view. He wears a yukata similar to the one she wears, but much bigger. Long black hair rains down his back, framing his defined jawline.

She might have blushed if finding her girl wasn't a priority, and the stranger seems aware of her urgency. "Izuna!" he shouts into the darkness of the night, and another man extremely similar to him immediately appears. In his arms, he carries the sleeping child, who embraces a bouquet of flowers and a small bag of candy.

"Ah... so she finally woke up. Does this mean our fun evenings are over?" the boy presumably named Izuna asks the sleeping toddler tenderly, as if she would answer. He gives the girl to the mysterious man, and carries her to (Y/N).

Hugging her daughter for the first time in what felt like years, she can't help the tears, kissing her head and remembering those events which brought them here. They both could have died in the middle of that battlefield, but life decided to give them more time.

Well, maybe not life, but that man.

"My name is Madara, and this is my younger brother Izuna... If I hadn't been there to deflect his attack, both of you would be charred right now." The younger man scratches the back of his neck guiltily, and sharing a glance with his older brother, leaves the room, disappearing back into the night.

"Of course, it was not purposeful... the colors you were wearing were easy to mistake for those of the enemy. My apology on behalf of us both." Madara analyses her from his position, arms crossed over his chest and a comprehending look. (Y/N) carefully deposits the small child on the bed, and cuddles her between covers for a peaceful sleep. She tries to get up, but her legs quickly give way under her, too weak to support her weight.

Before hitting the ground, Madara holds her, keeping her against his chest. He carries the woman to where he sat a few seconds ago, and takes a spot next to her. The night is beautiful, and a warm breeze is blowing in the garden, signaling wonderful weather. "Would you mind telling me your name?"

"(Y/N) ... I am (Y/N)." The place is exquisite, and the beautiful room she woke up in is nothing compared to her current view. All the clan's territory can be seen from her position, a million houses lit by fire.

"How long was I asleep...?"(Y/N) asks uncertainly. "About a week. We had to resort to the family healers for keeping you healthy. According to their professional prognosis, I was a bit aggressive with the Genjutsu I used on you."

"Gen...justu?" trying to understand the words and the situation, (Y/N) asks almost to herself, "I confirm you are not familiar with warfare in this territory...I assume you must have traveled from afar. What brought you here?"

"The legend about a wonderful clan and the promise of a good life..." There are tears in her eyes still, mentally going over all the troubles and the terrible experiences lived.

"Hm... that must be regarding Hashirama... Well, (Y/N), we may not be the Senjus, but life here is delightful and comfortable. You are invited to stay as long as you wish... Personally, I recommend not leaving anytime soon, Izuna is too fond of that child to allow it."

Madara stands and smiles at her, before disappearing into the darkness of the night like his younger brother.

........

It's been months since their accidental arrival at the Uchiha compound, but as Madara commented on their first night, life here is nice and beautiful.

(Y/N) found a stable place to live, friends to share with, and a promising future for her little girl. The child begged her mother to allow Izuna to train her, and she started developing in the ninja arts.

She learned a lot about the clan and the family, about their standards and ways of living. Madara did not disclose being the leader of it until a few weeks after she awoke, trying to help her adapt as best as possible and not intimidate her with his position. She understood the importance of the Uchiha family and the power Madara carries within, profoundly respecting him.

The two became extremely close, almost to an intimate point.

The Uchiha adores her little girl, and (Y/N) admits embracing him as a father figure every time she witnesses how the young child fills his hair with flowers or paints his lips bright red. Who would have thought one of the strongest men in the world could have such a soft and tender side for them both?

Seeing the leader of the family stroll around the compound decorated by her daughter was definitely a wonderful scene, especially as no one dared to comment on it, except Izuna. His younger brother was dedicated to teasing him from the first time it happened, until he fell victim to those little hands himself, and had to walk around full of flowers and paint in front of everyone.

Madara was right... they might not be the Senjus, but they were even better.

#uchiha madara x reader #madara uchiha x reader #madara x reader #madara uchiha #uchiha madara #madara #naruto imagines #naruto shippuden #uchiha izuna #izuna #izuna uchiha #naruto #naruto x reader #naruto scenarios

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morallyinept · 8 months

Text

D! Oh gosh! It's great to see you back here, buddy. You were missed last week by everyone. Frankie told me you were in rehab, how are you doing? You look great!

What? Oh, Frankie stood in for you. Yeah. He was amazing! Everyone loved him and… why are you looking at me like that?

No, they don't love Frankie more than you. Don't be ridiculous. Pffft. Of course they don't. Well, maybe a little.

Aww Dieter. Don't cry.

I'm not replacing you! Look, Self Care With Dieter & Jett is exactly that: with DIETER & Jett.

Don't worry bud, you're completely irreplaceable. C'mere. Gimme a smooch. Missed you.

There, all better? Good.

This week, now that Dieter is fresh out of his stint in rehab, we're going to look at ways you can continue your self-care journey into feeling good by addressing negative thoughts and behaviour patterns.

You ready to help our lovely friends and mutuals feel good, D?

Well, at least you're back to your old self again. Which, I suppose, is a positive…

Enjoy this week's self care with Dieter & Jett!

"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf." - John Kabat-Zin

Hands up, who has ever felt or experienced some kind of negative thinking?

What are some thoughts you've had about yourself recently, have they been mostly positive or negative?

Everyone experiences negative thinking from time to time. However, for some, especially those who have low self-esteem and/or struggle with depression, overcoming negative thinking can be a massive and difficult mountain to peak, and one that seems to surface regularly.

How are you feeling today, D?

Back to your old self, I see…

Fortunately, there are more effective methods you can use to help you move past negative thoughts to a more positive mindset, instead of seven whiskey chasers...

☝🏻And remember, it doesn't make you weak or that there is something wrong with you if you have, or have experienced negative thoughts. We're all human, bub. We all experience them.

Forgiving and nurturing yourself has so many benefits. Strong self-compassion can even set the stage for better health, relationships, and general well-being. Self-compassionate people recognize when they are suffering and are kind to themselves at these times, thereby lowering their own levels of related anxiety and depression.

So, Dieter. How can we show ourselves some self-compassion?

Ooh-kay… maybe, I'll do this part.

What you let into your mind in your everyday life can have an impact on your thoughts. Identify the top sources of negativity in your life.

This could be anything from a messy space, to a difficult relationship.

Once identified, find a way to replace them with sources of positivity. Below are some ways in which can help you flush out that negativity when it starts to creep in.

Shake that ass. Watch yourself.

I've said it before, and I'll continue to tell you, to move ya poppin' booty. The mind and body connection is a real thing, you know.

When you care for your body, you think and feel better too. Physical self-care includes how you're fueling your body, how much sleep you're getting, how much physical activity you re doing, and how well you're caring for your physical well-being. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to assess your physical health:

Am I getting adequate sleep?

Is my diet fueling my body well?

Am I taking charge of my health?

Am I getting enough exercise?

Exercising on a regular basis can have a profound positive impact on both your physical and mental health. Some benefits that exercise brings is that it can help relieve inner tension and worries. It can occupy your mind and also releases feel good hormones.

So get dancing, or whatever that is, apparently...

You don’t have to plan an extensive and costly trip to the gym to see results either. Even a simple walk around the block can help. Or a dance, whatever.

Go on wit' your badself, D.

Talk It Out.

It's important to have healthy coping skills to deal with uncomfortable emotions like anger, anxiety, and sadness. Emotional self-care is a process in which we bring our awareness to our emotions and take the steps necessary in order to honor and care for these emotions. Here are some activities that can be helpful for emotional self-care.

Talk to someone you can trust - a friend, a relative, an unhinged actor with a penchant for KitKats perhaps?

Journal your feelings - keep a journal, a dream diary, carry a notebook with you, or simply blog online. Get them feelings all out, no matter the medium in which you choose to express them.

Feel your feelings without judgement. Acknowledge that it's perfectly okay not to always feel your best self. You can't always be "on".

Meditation - spend a few minutes a day deep breathing and centering yourself.

Set boundaries - make time for yourself and stick to it.

Take a break - close your laptop, put your phone down. Even for half an hour. You'll be amazed how good you'll feel afterwards.

Find a Way to Serve.

One way to deal with negative thoughts is to focus on helping someone else.

By helping someone else, you give yourself an opportunity to bring positivity into your life. Whether it be helping someone move or merely listening to a friend, helping someone else is a great way to help yourself.

Consider volunteering, spend time with loved ones.

Care for a pet. Animals have such a positive influence on our emotional well-being too.

Oh, for the love of...

D! Careful, he bites! 😨

Find a Way to Be Grateful

When you are struggling with negativity, it can be easy to forget all the positive things in your life.

Try looking through your life and surroundings and find things that you are grateful for.

The fact you get to share the same planet with Dieter is pretty amazing already, right?

Yeah, you're pretty amazing, bud.

Write down all the things you're grateful for and put them in a jar. When you're feeling down, pull them out and read them to remind yourself of the great positive things you have in your life and all that you've achieved so far.

Nurture the spirit within.

Nurturing your spirit doesn’t have to involve religion, though for some it does. And that's cool. It can involve anything that helps you develop a deeper sense of meaning, understanding or connection with the universe. Here are a few examples:

Meditation

Yoga

Going to a place of worship

Being in nature

Self-reflection

Be kind to yourself.

Did you know that humans have about 6,200 thoughts in a single day?

Well, some of us do anyway...

Don’t you think our self-talk will affect how we think and feel about ourselves? The language you use to describe and refer to yourself can also alter your mentality.

Allowing yourself to receive kind words from yourself will boost that positivity and shrink the negative thoughts.

It’s also important to stimulate your mind with mental activities. Here are some mental activities to try:

Practice self-compassion and acceptance

Choose positive thoughts more often

Choose kindness

Channel your mantras

Do a puzzle to keep your brain stimulated

Learn something new to challenge yourself

To rid yourself of negative thoughts, try spending 15 minutes a day writing down your thought process. Doing this can help you identify how your thoughts are becoming distorted.

Far too often, we don’t want to slow down because there is so much to do. Ironically, by taking time for ourselves, we gain the strength and positive energy to drive forward in a higher gear.

Sometimes, taking a step back is all we need to feel inner balance, happiness, and peace of mind.

☝🏻You deserve to feel good and you are worthy of quality time for yourself and with others.

Remember, you are stronger than you think you are.

So, D. I hope you're feeling much more positive. How are you feeling?

Excellent!

Now, I think it's time we uh, ride that high for a little while longer, if you catch my drift? 😏

Really? Jesus Christ, I said I want to ride you, D. 🙄 Nevermind…

I hope Dieter and I have made you feel a little more positive today and put a smile on your face. Even if it was a little one.

Check out this list of self-compassion mindful meditation exercises you can do too. And they're free! It's Dieter's gift to you. 🖤

YOU. ARE. STRONGER. THAN. YOU. THINK. 🖤

Do you. Then do Dieter.

More Dieter & Jett here

🖤

GIFS used of Dieter, as always, by the amazing @perotovar @uuuhshiny @miguelo-hara @a7estrellas If I've used one of yours here too, please let me know so I can rightfully credit you. I've saved them all to my phone and have forgotten who made them. Ta! 🖤

ℹ️ Dieter and I always strive to bring you unbiased, fact-checked advice. We're not licensed therapists, so we do a lot of research to ensure we can provide helpful and informative posts. Well, I do. Dieter mostly sits around eating KitKats.

#self care with dieter & jett #dieter bravo #dieter bravo the bubble #the bubble #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal #you are stronger than you think you are #do you #then do dieter #jett's pedro boys #jett has spoken

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wishcamper · 5 months

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Don't Worry Feyre, Darling: the relationship anxiety to coersive control pipeline

CW: emotional abuse, reproductive abuse

Creds: licensed counselor with focus in addiction, trauma, and gay stuff; experience in group and family counseling, mandated DV clients, and abuse victim support.

Before the mob comes: I am not pro or anti Rhys, and I think his contradictions say much more about SJM than anything. I also believe it’s possible for a fandom to reclaim/rewrite a character who has been massacred by an author.

We’re going to begin at Rhys helping Feyre during an extremely dark place in both their lives. We’re going to end at him withholding vital medical information from her for the sake of “protecting her”. But first, some context.

Inside all of the (amazing) drama around the 2022 movie Don’t Worry, Darling , was a story that is pretty well worn at this point: men deciding they know what’s best for women and giving it to them whether they like it or not. In the movie, Florence Pugh’s Alice lives inside a computer simulation where she is the modern equivalent of a 50s housewife: dresses, calisthenics, martinis, “making a roast”. (She also gets eaten out by Harry Styles but that doesn’t seem to be an explicit part of the world’s design.) The problem? She doesn’t know she’s in the simulation. Harry Styles, in between all the cunnilingus, drugged her and put her in the program against her will. Yikes! Why!

The movie explains that he believed their life in the real world was miserable, and that he was saving her from that by giving her this perfect life. She should be grateful, if anything! What he doesn’t tell her, but that we see, is that Harry Styles also seems to struggle with a sense of inadequacy for not being able to provide. He is failing to live up to personal and cultural standards of manhood but, instead of dismantling those standards, he makes it his wife’s problem by kidnapping and brainwashing her consciousness. Hm. Interesting strategy. Let’s see how it works out for him.

With Rhysand, his motives in the beginning are more understandable - he initiates rescuing Feyre from the very real danger of Tamlin and her own mental decline. He feels justified breaking whatever magic law because of his own experiences being trapped and believing people should have a choice about where they go and who they are. He emphasizes over and over that these choices are Feyre’s and that she has freedom with him. We see through ACOMAF that helping her gives him a sense of purpose after the trauma UTM. His friends remark on how Feyre brought him back to life, never questioning and even encouraging this pattern.

But Rhys clearly has a lot of anxiety about his relationships and closeness in general. He mentions on several occasions that people around him tend to suffer because of him, and how afraid he is of doing that to Feyre. She is very receptive to this and puts effort into proving him wrong. He finds safety in the bubble of their relationship that probably feels pretty fucking good. The unfortunate side effect of this is that instead of processing and resolving his own anxiety, he directs it through Feyre and his love for her. Meanwhile, he keeps his anxious maneuvers behind the scenes, like not telling her about the bond, taking her to the Weaver, encouraging her to learn to read, to train. It may be genuinely helping her, but there’s also this sense of ‘I know what you need better than you do’. And again, nobody questions this.

We flirt with this tension at the beginning of ACOMAF when Rhys enforces their bargain from UTM. As the reader, at that point, we are supposed to believe this is cruel of him. He interrupts her wedding for fucks sake, throw your shoe at him girl! But over time we start to feel like it’s okay because Feyre secretly wanted it, it’s ultimately for her own good. Rhys is the most powerful High Lord in history, I’m sure he could’ve figured out a way to break the bargain, but he didn’t. In fact he engineered a situation where she'd be at his mercy. Why? Because Rhys was worried about Feyre, felt her deteriorating through the bond. Because of that, he felt justified in coming to collect. Personally, I have no opinion about whether crashing the wedding was the right or wrong thing to do. But it does set up, at least in the world of the book, that removing someone’s autonomy is okay if it’s for their own good, if the ends justify the means. In fact, that overstep ends up being the road to Feyre’s life in the NC and her love with Rhysand, a love that is so great she willingly tethers her very life to it. Even in ACOWAR we see how their relationship is a way he regulates his anxiety *cough*battlefield blowjob*cough*. He gets used to Feyre’s health and happiness being his source comfort and can continue to avoid dealing with his own shit internally.

In his seminal work Why Does He Do That?, Lundy Bancroft, a specialist in treatment of abuse perpetrators, debunks the various myths about what causes abuse and why it happens. His thesis is disarmingly simple: people abuse because they believe it’s justified. He says one of the signs of abuse escalation is “a growing attitude that he knows what is good for her better than she does”. Bancroft also notes that abuse is so hard to spot because “most abusive men don’t seem like abusers” (emphasis his) and that abusive men have periods of being charming, funny, even kind. Abusive men often don’t see themselves as such, because the strategy works for them - they feel good when they displace their emotional problems onto someone else.(1)

And then Feyre gets pregnant with a baby that could kill her. Besides the fact they really should have talked about this before trying for a baby given Rhys is mixed race (Cassian and Nesta too, but that’s a whole other post), Rhys claims a sense of ownership over his wife and child almost immediately. He’s constantly being described as smug and glowing with male pride. Even when he’s not smarmy, he’s consumed with his own ideas about protecting them and can’t hear the protests of others. We see his anxiety morph into more overt control in attempt to handle the situation. He believes he’s justified in keeping the danger from Feyre because he doesn’t want to stress her out. But that is not about Feyre, that’s about Rhys. HE is scared, HE is lost, and so he makes a decision on her behalf to lessen the burden he’s already carrying, whether he’s aware of it or not. He must keep her in a happy bubble else how is he supposed to go on.

Don’t Worry, Darling is at least critical of this ‘I know better’ motive even if the movie is stupid, and Harry Styles gets some frontier justice in the form of a whiskey glass to the back of the dome. But ACOSF condones Rhys’ actions and even insinuates our main character is deserving of death for calling him out. Bancroft writes that “part of how the abuser escapes confronting himself is by convincing you that you are the cause of his behavior”. He wouldn’t HAVE to do this if you just TRUSTED HIM.

But here’s what I think. I think Rhys has walked down a path of using his relationship to balance his internal conflict. Anxiety is a force in every relationship, but with Feyre he must maintain her beautiful life where she never worries in order to feel safe himself. I can have empathy for this, kind of - he’s suffered significant losses and it’s understandable he feels protective of those he loves. I think about celebrities with non-famous spouses, and how they avoid talking about them because they don’t want the scrutiny. I believe Rhys thinks he’s genuinely doing right by Feyre. But Rhys is so averse to his own anxiety that he can’t let himself trust anyone else to resolve it. He can’t let go of Feyre as his safe space and almost condemns her to die because of it.

And this is how, ultimately, Rhys traps himself. He tries to create a bubble where Feyre can never leave him, and ends up signing both their death warrants. I hope the world of fan fiction can redeem him, because I really don’t think Sarah can.

And yes, I know it’s faerie porn and it’s not that deep. But this is a series marketed toward an audience at risk of abuse and intimate partner violence. Bancroft lays out key points at the end of the book that feel particularly relevant to the larger conversation:

“Once we tear the cover of excuses, distortions, and manipulations off abusers, they suddenly find abuse much harder to get away with.

If Mothers Against Drunk Driving can change culture’s indifference to alcohol-related automotive deaths, we can change culture’s attitude toward partner abuse.

Everyone has a role to play in ending abuse.

If you are trying to assist an abused woman, get help and support yourself as well

All forms of chronic mistreatment in the world are interwoven. When we take one apart, all the rest start to unravel as well.”

Why Does He Do That? , Lundy Bancroft. https://ia800108.us.archive.org/30/items/LundyWhyDoesHeDoThat/Lundy_Why-does-he-do-that.pdf

#acotar #acomaf #acosf #rhys critical #feysand is dysfunctional #don't kill me #intimate partner violence #why does he do that?#prythian university #sjm critical

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go6jo · 10 months

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i wonder whether geto truly believed it was his duty to protect the weak or if it just gave his suffering and agony from ingesting curses a meaning, a purpose.

throughout the series we notice that a common motif amongst those who step into the jujutsu world is that one must have some kind of motivation, a driving force that keeps them going despite all the hardships they may face. yuuji wants to bring dignity to those around him, even in death, maki wants to prove the zenin clan wrong etc etc. human beings need to feel useful, to feel they have a reason as to why they exist otherwise life feels meaningless. this is where id like to introduce a couple panels, paralels if you will:

“weak jujutsu sorcerers don´t have a sense of self” in that panel megumi is discussing with yuuji how both of them have different goals and ideals and one must come to terms with the fact there is not a universal truth, neither are wrong in their respective perspetives and each must commit to their own path and remain true to themselves - as long as you have a clear objective its harder to stray from the path you set for yourself however, without a clear destination, ones prone to roaming around aimlessly. you must be unwavering.

now fast forward to this panel about geto. after the events of the star plasma vessel arc suguru’s previous beliefs start to waver. he was never weak imo, instead he had a moment of weakness. he felt helpless because he had failed what he thought was his calling multiple times already - riko, haibara - his calling to protect. and maybe he was starting to struggle to grasp what was his purpose then. and what he was worth. maybe he wasnt that strong after all. maybe he wasnt needed. gojo could handle everything on his own now. how can he help, how can he be useful. how can he put his agony from exorcising curses to good use.

and when he was at his most vulnerable nobody was there to guide him. to put him back on track. people can be gullible when facing a crisis and yuki appeared as a light, a solution to his problems. she gave him a purpose again. however from my point of view, in the end he never strayed much too far from his initial goal to protect. if he had once sacrificed himself to protect those who are too weak to protect themselves, then he had yearned to create a world where he wouldnt have to witness those close to him, his friends and peers lose their lives, he wanted to purge all that endangered them, he had wanted them to be safe. even if it cost the lives of the weak. he went from being selfless to selfish. but is it selfish to want to protect those closest to you? to prioritize them? i think that he is (was) a caretaker at heart.

#getou suguru #jjk season 2 #satosugu #geto suguru #jjk meta #im rereading jjk and there are so many things i missed while reading it for the 1st time..#im seeing getou from a whole dif pov #i always loved him but. hes so me coded now that i took the time to scrutinize him.#also thinking a WHOLE lot about gojo ill elaborate on a dif post I NEED TO GET IT OUT #geto #ca #.mine

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likealittleheartbeat · 2 months

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hello !!

i was wondering, do you know any other characters like aang from other shows/movies/books? or maybe, just his theme of radical kindness appearing in other stories?

i've been missing aang, and it would be nice to find other representations of such a fun and warm personality like his.

ps.: your blog is like, fantastic. truly.

🥰🥰🥰🥰 This is the best ask I’ve ever received!!! Depictions of radical kindness in media is a special interest of mine—not exaggerating. So I’ve done my best to make a list of rec’s, just tv, from most formally similar to ATLA to least, with a short description for each.

1. Fruits Basket (2019)

"My mom told me, it's better to trust people than to doubt them. She said that people aren't born with kind hearts. When we're born, all we have are desires for food and material things. Selfish instincts, I guess. But she said that kindness is something that grows inside of each person's body, but it's up to us to nurture that kindness in our hearts. That's why kindness is different for every person."

An anime orphan whose established memory of the kindness by which her family raised her ends up transforming and liberating a whole clan from an intergenerational curse that enforced an abusive hierarchy all within a show that has a deeply queer subtext, beautifully complex plotting and character development that due to its zen influence refuses to demonize anyone or any perspective wholly, AND a straight romance you can actually root for!? Nothing comes closer to ATLA thematically than this show. While the lead Tohru Honda is the biggest representative of radical kindness, the character of Momiji Sohma with his complex purity, idealism, and gender performance is one of the closest you'll find to Aang in any media.

2. Mob Psycho 100 (2016-2023)

"The truth behind one's charm is kindness. Just be a good person, that's all."

Mob Psycho 100 explores a core tenant of ATLA's critique of imperialism and power: greatness and perfection are overrated. They both ask the question about what to do for the world with one's gifts if that's the case. How can one be both normal and prodigious at the same time? The satirical comedy and style of this anime, which deconstruct a lot of the shonen genre tropes, are pretty distinct from ATLA, but when ATLA arrived on the airwaves, it was a pretty massive break from tradition in Western animation, and for both of these series, that difference of style is tied to the message of the show about the experience and acceptance of difference.

3. Natsume's Book of Friends (2012-present)

"As I encountered kindness, I wanted to be kind myself."

The anime, Natsume's Book of Friends and ATLA both depict the challenge and necessity of facing abandonment, loss, and a deep-seated loneliness with kindness and gratitude despite the persistence of grief. Both take a deeply spiritual view--even a responsibility--of this experience that demands a compassion for all beings including those who intend to do harm. Natsume, an orphan shuffled between houses who is one of the few people who can see spirits called youkai, inherits his maligned grandmother's book of yokai names, becoming a target for them in the process. He hides all of this from everyone in his life, and even five season in, still has trouble admitting to the one person who understands him when he is struggling and needs help. The gentle and light tone papers over a profoundly honest representation of attachment trauma and the wisdom of compassion that develops as a tool to cope with it.

4. Hunter x Hunter (2011-2014)

"You can do whatever you want to hide your feeling. You still have a heart."

If you think that "Radical Kindness" is by definition non-violent, then this show is either not for you or going to change your mind. Gon, the protagonist of HxH, like Momiji mentioned in Fruits Basket, is another rare character whose naivete and optimism are treated with respect. He is allowed to suffer, to be wrong, to be stupid, and to inspire others away from their own cynicism with the persistence of his beliefs nevertheless. But HxH is a show that integrates the most violent aspects of the world (organized crime, capitalistic competition and privileging, state-sanctioned brutality, pure sadism) with its examination of human potential for goodness. And even within a list of shows deeply inspired by spirituality and religions, this show is abundant with religious references as it seeks out meaning, balance, and an ethic for modern experience. On top of that, it ranks with ATLA for the depth and relevance of its magic system to its themes, plus its got gay subtext out the wazoo!

5. Mushishi (2005-2014)

“Make sure to remember, every person and place has a right to exist. It is true for you too, the entire world, as a whole, is your home."

Elegaic, episodic, compassionate, and strange, with some of the best short story-telling of all time, Mushishi is the story of a medicine-man who travels the Japanese countryside helping people deal with the spirits that accompany the little trials and tragedies of life that cling to our minds long after they're passed. The protagonist, Gingko, and the show itself takes the approach of restraint to observe these problems fully and come to a conclusion that's taoist in its balance and acceptance of reality--"Eyes unclouded by hate" as Miyazaki/Gaiman would have it. Each episode is like a therapy session arguing for you to choose to live even as the heaviest burdens sit on your chest.

6. Reservation Dogs (2021-2023)

"See...love doesn't have to be received, it can just be."

We're finally out of the animes, and moving away from the zen and shinto approach into some other options. Reservation Dogs' indigenous humanism was groundbreaking, bringing in distinctly modern American realities (with the kind of true-to-life details only a an on-location shoot could offer) with Native beliefs about ancestry, community, and connection to the land, while rarely feeling preachy. Instead, it's just fucking hilarious and casually heartbreaking. Four friends on the edge of graduating high school on a reservation in Oklahoma try to figure out what to do with their lives after their plans to go to California get abruptly messed up. Radical kindness as a concept often gets focused on accepting the enemy but what about accepting the weird stoner uncle who farts all the time and won't talk about his years in the army. I think that might be a more important goal of radical kindness, in truth, if we are being asked to look and accept reality for what it is, because growing comfortable with disappointment and the mundane let's us live without the relentless striving that drives perfectionism.

7. Skam (2015-2017)

"The second you start looking for hate, you find it. And when you find hate, you start hating."

A Norwegian teen drama that understood internet culture better than any show before or since, four season-long romance plots better than any romance film from that decade, and a masterfully constructed exhortation about leaning into failures of connection to build deeper compassion rather than demonize another person or group. Each season focused on a specific character within a high-school friend group, emphasizing the limited scope of subjective experience, and had them confront the challenges of opening up to others fully. And even when they return into the scenes with new protagonists, their lives weren't sorted perfectly, reflecting how resolving a single romantic plot point would not resolve life. The impact of this low-budget public-television web series (!!!) will be felt for years (it's already been referenced by Netflix juggernauts like Sex Education and Young Royals), but we're not likely to see something that juggles political themes, heartfelt characterization, realistic dialogue, and meta-commentary (it flashed its own hater and fan comments across the screen in the last episode!!) in such a obsession-inducing package anytime soon.

7. Boys Like Boys (2023)

"Because I have always been someone who hates myself, I don't have the courage to face it. Running away is my only option...What if I give myself one more chance to be brave?"

So how can a reality show make it onto a list of radically kind tv series, especially a dating show!? Well, when that reality dating show casts people who radiate warmth, vulnerability, and respect and seem to have the kind of chemistry that most scripted shows can't even manage, it's a good start. But then, when they elevate that cast with a format that addresses the cruelty of dating, elimination formats, and broader societal exclusion (an important consideration for a gay dating show), it offers a new model for future shows. Boys Like Boys did this when mid-season (spoiler alert) they had contestants vote out a contestant, only to provide the contestants with a vote in which they could retain a contestant who they didn't want to leave. In fact, many of the contestants asked if they could abstain from making a vote that would eliminate a constestant and were allowed to. The final result left one contestant, Jia-Hang, up for elimination--he had voted for himself to be eliminated, and many contestants, recognizing his reticence to continue on the program, didn't want to force him against his will to stay. Then, looking around at nearly the whole cast sobbing, even apologizing to him for not providing him enough support, Jia-Hang chooses to stay on. This is just one of many heart-warming authentic moments in the show that illustrate the vital influence of kindness to impact the trajectory of our hearts.

8. Joe Pera Talks With You (2018-2021)

"I can help you reach things. I can tend the garden. The different hours we keep are a good thing. And when they overlap, I can offer companionship and entertainment."

So much has been written about this show's groundbreaking kind approach, I'm going to quote instead: "It can be difficult to convey how a TV show airing on Cartoon Network’s provocative nighttime programming block Adult Swim can evoke almost nostalgic feelings of kind-heartedness. The premise of Joe Pera Talks With You is so simple as to almost be beside the point: Comedian Joe Pera plays a lightly fictionalized version of himself as a sweet Michigander, a middle-school chorus teacher with small and specific passions. Joe likes breakfast food, obscure trivia, beans, trips to the grocery store, and his grandma. He greets every day with a contented smile, stands beneath a pale blue sky, packs a balanced lunch that contains no surprises. (A turkey sandwich with cheese and a tomato, a banana, some trail mix, and as a treat, some cookies.) Joe, more than anything, is satisfied. His greatest joy is sharing these small pleasures with you, the viewer who exists on the other side of the fourth wall he has cleanly dismantled, often speaking quietly to the camera like he’s sharing a secret, just between you two. That he’s talking “with” and not “to” you is a crucial distinction in the show’s title: Joe never lectures nor rhapsodizes. Instead, he waxes poetic about what he loves and who he cares for and how he leads his life, telling his stories from a vulnerable position of welcoming you into his daily existence.” --“A Great Comedy About Being Good,” Allegra Frank for Vox

9. Anne with an E (2017-2019)

"Her life was not short on challenges, and still she held no grudges, believing instead that grace is perennial like the green, green grass."

While maligned for not being the 1980s version, this Netflix adaptation of Anne of Green Gables takes what many have read as an autistic subtext and made it text, giving Anne a performative quality that pushes a lot of the audience into the same irritation that the characters of Avonlea feel for Anne at first, and, thus, requires its audience to persevere toward the same kindness that Anne inspires in her adoptive mother figure, Marilla, among others, which is much more rewarding than simply identifying with Anne right away. In so doing, it enhances the development of its broader approach to acceptance--an approach in its insistence on the requirement of a community of kindredness (see Sebastian's excitement at finding out about the black community in "The Bog") that is much more rigorous than many other shows will cop to. Expanding far beyond literal adaptation into queer, black, and indigenous characters, without disguising history or disparaging the thematic seed of grace at the heart of the novels, Anne with an E imagines what it meant and what it might still mean to build real joyful community with others through kindness.

10. Little Bear (1995-2003)

"Interesting."

A childhood favorite that disguised in its simplicity a wide-openness to the world and an acceptance of different natures. While most child shows emphasize kindness, few do so with as much patience, wonder, and generosity extended to its viewers. Little Bear is a curious kid who goes on adventures in the woods around his house that can turn into games or small imagined experiences. He is sometimes with his friends Cat, Duck, Hen, Owl, and Emily, whose personalities, along with Little Bear's, bring about small tensions in their games that ultimately resolve, if not independently, then with the help of Mother Bear or Father Bear, who give each other knowing glances about the expected childhood behaviors. This is the first show that initially taught me to observe things while withholding my judgment, that first step of radical kindness.

12. The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968)

"The key to happiness is finding joy in the simple things."

One really old and somewhat controversial throwback for my last entry. If you have concerns about a sheriff character representing radical kindness, I would encourage you to start with the third episode of season 3 where Andy, the sheriff in question, has to explain to the new mayor why he doesn't carry a gun and lets prisoners go to gather their crops. There have been some fantastic pieces written about the complexities of this show's bucolic fantasy and Southerners (of all races) attachment to it, but they all acknowledge a type of humanistic and deceptively simple virtue found in Mayberry that audiences long to witness, if not emulate themselves. It's a morality that resists the "hyperactive zealotry" and bureaucracy that the show satirizes through Barney Fife (along with guest characters like the new mayor) and instead emphasizes the understanding that one can have for each individual and the trickstery middle paths that one can find to address conflict.

#sorry this took so long to respond to!#honorable mentions include Hey Arnold! & The Good Place & Friday Night Lights & S1 of Ted Lasso (but only S1 lol)#atla #kindness prevails #likealittleheartbreat recommends #fruits basket #mushishi #natsume yuujinchou #hxh #andy griffith #joe pera talks with you #reservation dogs #little bear #skam #awae #boys like boys #mp100

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ghostofskywalker · 6 months

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Hi! could you do "Do you need a hug?" with Jesse or Fives and a fem!reader for your winter ficlets, please?

hi! this went way angstier than i originally intended it to, i'm so sorry. i chose jesse, and i actually made myself cry while writing it

words: 1,087

summary: the more time you spent in the GAR, the more you came to know grief, especially when the casualties of the war were people you had grown close to. Jesse notices that you're struggling, and reaches out to help.

@clonexreaderbingo square: haunted

The Strength To Keep Going

clone troopers masterlist || request a winter ficlet

You had known when you signed up to work for the Grand Army of the Republic, that you would more than likely come to know men who would die in battle. And back when you were signing your name on that fateful piece of flimsi, you thought that you would be able to handle those types of situations with grace and poise.

You had been decidedly wrong about that assumption.

Grief was an ugly emotion, an unrelenting rain of melancholy punctured with swirling storms of rage, all tied together with a listlessness to rival that of the oldest tooka in the galaxy. And it had come to take up what felt like a permanent residence in your mind.

You didn’t want to do anything anymore, but you lived a life in which that was simply not possible. If you let go, even for a fleeting moment, too much could go wrong. Was it worth it to potentially doom the lives of those who marched on because you couldn’t pull your mind away from the faces of the fallen?

In the beginning, you suffered in silence. Tried to immortalize the names, mannerisms, and faces of the men that were lost in your mind, but soon you could feel some of those memories start to fade. You desperately hung on, cursing the greater powers (whatever they may be) for allowing such suffering to take hold in the galaxy. Every single one of these men had been your friends, and now you had to grapple with the reality that you would never see them again.

Sleep began to evade you more than usual, and you had taken to wandering the flagship during the night, nodding at the clones and other GAR workers that had chosen this shift, but you never really interacted with anyone else. Eyes bloodshot and gaze distant, you paced through the chilly halls with a blanket around your shoulders and anguish on your face.

It was one of these nights, where you had no destination in mind but walked the halls like you had some official purpose, and you hadn’t spoken to anyone in hours. Echo had been the latest casualty, and the news had felt like a vibroblade to the heart.

It had been a particularly rough loss, which was why you didn’t quite register that someone was speaking to you for a few moments. Finally, the voice that you had only been half aware of until now gave way to a gentle touch on your shoulder, and you turned to see who it was that had disturbed you.

Jesse was standing there, a concerned expression on his face. “Do you need a hug?” he asked softly. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”

A whisper-quiet “yeah,” left your mouth, and before you knew it, you were being pulled into a sturdy embrace, the warmth of Jesse’s body seeping through both your blanket and the fabric of your GAR-issued sleepwear.

His hand reached out to find yours, and you allowed him to slowly lead you to a room a couple hallways away. Couches and chairs were the first thing you noticed, all mismatched and a little worse for wear. You had been to this lounge room a few times to grab something from the chiller, but you didn’t usually stay more than a moment or two.

“Why don’t you sit down there?” Jesse said as he gestured to one of the couches, and if you weren’t so Maker-damn tired you might have tried to argue. “What’s going on?”

“How do you keep going?” The question escaped your mouth in a voice that seemed almost accusatory, even though your intentions were far from it. But you couldn’t help it, you had spent too long watching everyone act like nothing was wrong, and you were dying to know where they stored their grief, because you knew it was somewhere.

You didn’t have to elaborate on your point, Jesse knew what you were asking, but you continued anyway. “Every day I witness more and more loss, and how does it not completely break you after a while?”

He sat down next to you, reaching out to take your hand. “I don’t know,” he said. “We’ve been told from the time we were cadets that we would likely die in service to the Republic, and I think a lot of us have internalized that by now.”

You didn’t know it was even possible, but your heart broke even more after you heard that. “Hey,” Jesse said, noticing the way tears were starting to well up in your eyes. “You’re not weak for struggling, and you have no idea how much it means to all of us that you care so much. But I know that my brothers, and especially Echo, would never want you to lose out on living because you were too wrapped up in mourning them.”

Well, that was it. The tears were coming now, whether you wanted them to or not. “I know,” you managed to breathe out, voice shaky. “But it still hurts.”

Jesse nodded, knowing that he couldn’t say anything to make your pain truly disappear, even though he wanted to. Instead, all he could do was move closer to you, gently shifting your blanket so that it was covering more of your body than it had been. Silently, you leaned into his touch, resting your head against his chest.

“General Skywalker told us about the Force one time,” Jesse said, and even though you weren’t quite sure what his point was, you listened aptly. “He said that when beings die, they become part of the world that surrounds us, and that the Jedi are able to draw some of their power from the love that those who came before us had for the galaxy.”

“Do you think he’s right?”

“Yeah,” he said. “So I guess it helps me to think about my brothers watching over the ship when I feel sad, and that they’re celebrating our victories with us. This way, no one is ever truly forgotten, you know?”

“No one is ever truly forgotten,” you repeated softly. You didn’t know if anything would ever be enough to truly lift this weight from your thoughts, but it certainly helped to shoulder some of the burden.

The two of you sat there in a comfortable silence for a little while longer, and Jesse didn’t bat an eye when you fell asleep against him. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but he didn’t really mind.

- the end -

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#winterficlets23 #jesse x reader #arc trooper jesse x reader #arc trooper jesse x you #clone trooper x reader #star wars x reader

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