#have you no childhoods? have you no culture
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Step brother riddle
I am a freak for stepcest.
Step-brother Riddle........ 👁 👁
Can you really blame him for falling in love with you when you were the only true "friend" he had outside of Trey and Che'nya? While those two were banned from stepping foot on Rosehearts's property, he got to see you every day because you're his step-sibling. Even though his free time was very limited, he spent nearly all of it with you. You were the only good thing to come out of his childhood. Maybe part of his attraction to you is just the result of you being able to sympathize with his mother's abuse. You're the only one who knows him best and, likewise, he's the only one who knows you best.
Or that's what Riddle always thought. But you're sly and secretly rebellious. He'd never dream of doing anything behind his mother's back. He could never disobey the rules! You snuck out to go see some friends last summer????? Oh, he's so shocked. >_< you're much too daring. But he admires that quality just as he admires everything else about you. Riddle's very late to romance and sex because that was the last thing on his mind when he was spending every waking second studying. Now it sort of,,,,, hits him head-on and he's starting to notice things about you he hadn't before.
He definitely steals some of your laundry, whether clean or dirty, and he feels so guilty about it. T_T but he can't just return it to you now or else you might think he's weird. And he is. He's so strange when he goes shopping with his NRC friends and offhandedly remarks that that lingerie would look nice on you when he passes a storefront with Trey and Cater. And they both look at him like: "???? (Name)?? As in, your step-sibling (Name)??????"
But Trey and Cater are also freaks, so maybe they're the safest ones to learn of Riddle's not-so-platonic affections for you. orz Riddle's just so genuinely honest sometimes and a lot of things go over his head when it comes to things that aren't textbook. He has no idea what hook-up culture even is and Cater has to explain it to him word for word, and Riddle is horrified because if you're hooking up with others...... >:O !!!! what if you fall in love with them and then he won't be able to romance you and !!!!!
It's with great relief when he learns that most of the time there's nothing more to that sort of dynamic. It's just sex. But even that unsettles Riddle. Knowing that his beloved step-sibling is sleeping with others who aren't himself........ >_< it's troubling news. He'll have to remind you not to do that next time he comes back home for a break. Isn't he the better option, after all? :)
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Barón Tovar Takes a Wife
First Movement (Adagio sostenuto)
5.5K / Bridgerton AU Regency!Pero Tovar x fem!reader, a childhood best friends to lovers story
Summary: About to make your society debut and enter London's marriage mart, you don't expect an old friend whom you haven't seen in over 10 years to make a surprise appearance at the first ball of the season.
Warnings: None! Fluff! B, C, D, E, F Bridgerton make appearances. It's me so there's a cute nickname (won't spoil). The masterlist includes a few words about how this reader insert is written - essentially, no reader description other than having hair and wearing dresses in the style of this era, reader has a backstory; much of this part is exposition (so maybe a little slow but we'll get there!😊)
A/N: My plan is to post the entire series before Season 3 of Bridgerton airs, because the story is intended to take place in the background of the same season and if things don't make sense after the show comes out then oh well 🤭 I'm also only 2/3 of the way through Julia Quinn's books, so please forgive me if some of my characterizations of the Bridgertons are not wholly correct 🙏🏻
Wonderful Bridgerton inspired dividers by @saradika-graphics 🥰
Series Masterlist
The Duchess of Hastings stands behind you, admiring the reflection in the mirror of the two of you together, “I dare say, if you had debuted with me during my season, there is a good chance that I may not have been the Diamond.”
“Oh, shush, your Grace,” you make a funny face at her in the mirror, to which she laughs and pokes you in the ribs, “Don’t you start with this ‘Your Grace’ business with me.”
That Daphne Bridgerton is your dearest and oldest friend in England is something you consider to be one of the great fortunes of your life, of which, as the daughter of a Count, you have many. Violet Bridgerton and your mother, the Countess, had been dear friends and as such, much of your early childhood in England had been spent at Bridgerton House, running around with not only the same aged Daphne, but her elder and younger siblings as well. The Bridgertons are one of the most beloved families of the ton, their good natured and spirited personalities recommending themselves to everyone, and accordingly, your memories of when your two families would gather remain some of the most joyous of your childhood.
Sadly, your dear mother passed away from illness when you were only seven years of age and your beloved father, who loved her more than life itself, could not bear to stay in England much without her. The Count was one of several nobles charged with governance of Her Majesty’s Royal Naval Fleet; a gentle man, his purview was primarily diplomatic (as opposed to militaristic) and he thus travelled widely, often and always for long periods of time.
Though he did not wish to remain where so many of his memories dwelled, the Count could not bear to leave his only child behind, and consequently, you had joined your father on his travels. He proudly raised a cheerful, spirited daughter who loved the seas and adventure as much as she did reading and music. Your father found that exposing you to and requiring you to immerse yourself in so many foreign cultures at a young age led you to be the most sympathetic and kind hearted child, one who others found easy to converse with and befriend on account of your good humoured nature and open minded heart. Unencumbered by the rigid etiquette requirements (and dress code!) of British high society, you happily embraced many freedoms that other young ladies of your age and breeding did not have the opportunity to enjoy. Your father taught you much about the ships and business of the naval fleet, subjects to which you took a great interest; to this day, you know your way around most ships better than some sailors. The Count was especially proud of your affinity for diplomacy, understanding the importance of fairness and tough negotiation both in foreign matters and managing fleets. You loved all of it – spending countless hours pouring over maps and letters of diplomatic matters with your father and absorbing all you could; as you got older, you took great pride in the way your father would sometimes seek your opinion and advice on business matters and delighting when he would praise you on your ideas.
While he was unorthodox, your father could not be accused of being neglectful; he would not forgo your formal and societal education, knowing that one day, you would have to return to live in England. Hiring only the most adventurous and brave governesses to accompany your travels, the Count ensured that your literary, numerical, musical and artistic accomplishments and pursuits could rival those of your peers back home. You learned to dance the dances of grand balls, though you had only the few foreign dignitary hosted events to practice. Your only other occasion to practice came when you would return for your infrequent visits to England, reuniting with your beloved Bridgertons to spend nearly all your time catching up and laughing with Daphne and her siblings, and take in what you could of British society before once again being swept away on another ship. Though brief, these reunions with your friends, coupled with your frequent letters were enough to ensure your friendships remained strong and cherished over the years.
Two years ago, Daphne had made her societal debut, meeting and marrying her love, the Duke, during the marriage season and you could not have been more delighted for your friend. That season should have also been your debut season, except that you and your father were in the Far East and would not have been able to complete the Count’s business and return in time. Since you had postponed one year, what was two? If you had your way, you would have made it three, not eager to give up the life of travel and leisure that you’ve grown accustomed to. However, when the Queen wrote to ask why the daughter of one of her esteemed Counts has not yet been presented, both you and your father had to regretfully concede that your life as a carefree sea farer was over.
And thus, you find yourself in your present circumstance: in a luxurious silk gown the colour of swan feathers, wearing what might actually be swan feathers in your hair, about to be presented to the Queen before embarking on your first social season. To be honest, you’re not terribly nervous, save for whatever nerves one always has whenever attempting something new, and you have good reasons not to be.
The first being that you are in the very capable hands of your great friend, the Duchess. The now Dowager Viscountess had promised your mother that when the time for your debut came, it would be the Bridgerton family’s honour to sponsor you. If anything, you felt that the honour was all yours – not only were you to have the support and backing of one of the most respected and revered families during your season, you would also be blessed with their company. As fortune would have it, due to the timing of your debut, Violet had prepared herself to take on the duty of presenting not one but two girls: yourself and her third eldest daughter, Francesca.
Fearing it was far too much work and pressure, you had assured Violet, whom you loved as a second mother, that she need not fret too much over you; you’re a woman of twenty-three with more world experience than most men twice your age, and encouraged her to focus her attentions on her own daughter. Violet had been aghast at the implication that she didn’t think of you as one of her daughters, and you were about to be on the receiving end of a scolding that only a mother could dispense when Daphne came to your rescue. As the Duchess of Hastings, she herself had the right to present young ladies at court, and she declared herself delighted to be your patroness this season. This was decidedly a win-win; not only could Violet concentrate on Francesca’s prospects, you could now look forward to spending the season with your dear friend by your side.
The second reason you’re not overly anxious is that despite being older than most of the girls debuting at the same time, you know you have plenty to recommend you to potential suitors. No, you are not terribly conceited nor do you hold your own attributes in such high esteem, but rather, very practically, you know most suitors will not let a small thing such as age deter them from the handsome fortune your father has bestowed upon you.
The Count was forever exasperated with the shortcomings of the laws of inheritance and how they prevented his one child from inheriting his estate, but he made up for it the best he could with the legal avenues available to him. First, he set aside a healthy dowry for you, so that you would be sure to attract a similarly healthy crop of high society gentlemen from which to choose a husband. Second, via his will, you would be provided for for the remainder of your life with a generous per annum allowance that rivaled the income of many estates; you were to want for nothing even if you never married.
And finally, known only to a select few, your father had a vast investment in an international fleet separate from the naval fleet of the queen; a beloved exploration and trade business venture that was the Count’s passion project - you and him spending many enjoyable hours pouring over the plans and movements of this fleet. The dividends from your father’s shares went directly into a trust of which you (and any future children of yours) are the sole beneficiary, though the capital had to be held by a man. It was the Count’s thinking that in addition to the income, it was only fair that you benefitted from a venture that you had invested much of your own heart and time into. Naturally, being a part of your father’s estate, this investment could be passed down to the next Count (a distant relative), but your father had other plans. If the intended recipient was willing, you father wanted to sell his shares to his future son-in-law, allowing for the dividends to continue flowing to you and so that you may remain close to the business via your husband’s involvement.
In other words, there are plenty of reasons that potential suitors who might otherwise be dismissive of your age and lack of societal presence, may find you attractive (the least of which were probably your charm and wit); you can afford to be choosy and you fully intend to be. And while you’re not quite so hopeful to wish for a great love like that of your parents, or even Daphne and her beloved Simon, you dearly wish for a husband that will understand and respect you; one who will celebrate you for your mind, experience, opinions and all the reasons why you’re different due to having grown up the way you did.
Daphne seems to have high hopes that there will be many potential suitors who will live up to your expectations. You’re less confident than she, but still more optimistic than not.
Flopping yourself down on the chaise next to Eloise, the two of you heave heavy sighs in unison. After the nerve-racking presentation to the queen earlier this week, the following days have been a non-stop flurry of ribbons, fittings, etiquette lessons and teas with the express purpose of study in the who’s who of the ton. In just a few hours, all of Violet and Daphne’s hard work and preparations will be put on display when your contingent attends the first event of the season: the Danbury Ball.
Eloise passes a box of candy to you and you select a treat gratefully. Though Daphne is your closest friend, you’ve sometimes found yourself having a fair amount in common with Eloise and know her to be a trustworthy confidant; this is one of those times. While you don’t think you have it in you to hate anything as much as Eloise despises the marriage mart, the both of you at least have the good fortune of being able to be picky with your suitors and moreover, wish to exercise that particular privilege. For Eloise, marriage is a cage. For you, it’s the not marriage itself, but a union with an imprudent match that you wish to avoid. If you can no longer be free to sail the seas and wander through the valleys and streets of the foreign lands that call your name, you must insist that the home you’re being called home to roost is at the very least, pleasant.
“I beg of you,” murmurs Eloise, “Please let all the fashionable young men fill up your dance card so that there shall be none left for me.”
You steal another piece of candy, “I’m afraid there’s more than enough young men to go around, El. Plus, you really ought to beseech Franny for your request, my dance card may struggle for applicants on account of me being such an old maid,” you giggle.
“None of that negativity now,” chimes in Daphne from the open door, “tonight is full of possibilities.”
During the season, you’re staying at Bridgerton House so to be close to all the finery of dresses, jewels, shoes, ladies’ maids and moral support that you may need. Your father is staying nearby in another house on Grosvenor Square, and comes by most days to see his daughter and dear family friends for breakfast at the very least. You have loved your life with your father, but at times like these, when you are laughing at and listening to the loving snipes and bickering of the Bridgerton siblings, you often wonder what it would have been like to have a more traditional upbringing. Pushing that thought out of your mind, you stand and pull Eloise up with you so that the two of you can follow the Duchess to the next room where you’re expected to choose from the glittering selection of dresses laid out for tonight.
As you lean towards selecting a pretty lavender gown, Daphne fills you in on the processional arrangements for your entrances tonight, “Mama, Franny, Anthony and Kate will take the first carriage, then you, Eloise and I will follow in the second. We will enter the ball in that order as well.”
“What about Colin and Ben?”
“They’re meeting with some friend from Colin’s travels whom he met in… I want to say Greece? They will make their own way and meet us at the ball.” You nod agreeably; as long as everyone is together at some point or another, your first season event will feel a lot less daunting.
---
As you walk into the Danbury estate, you cannot but feel a bit overwhelmed by all the elegance and glamour on display. Though no stranger to luxury and finer things, it’s not very often that you find yourself amidst so much opulence. Eyes shining as you take in the finery, your voice is full of excitement and genuine awe as you compliment Lady Danbury and thank her for hosting tonight’s soiree. Hand clasped tight in Daphne and Eloise’s as you make your way down the main hall to the ballroom, you see Colin further down on the right side of the hallway, waving alongside Benedict. Waiting by the wall with the Bridgerton brothers is a third gentleman, tall and broad shouldered with soft, curly brown hair who currently has his back to you; Colin has on a mischievous grin and he’s speaking to the stranger quietly, eyes flitting back to you and his sisters periodically as you approach. This can’t be good, you think with suspicion. When you’re a few steps away from meeting with the brothers, Colin gives the stranger a slight nod and he turns around; before you even have a chance to look upon the newcomer’s face, you hear a familiar sweet baritone voice say, “Hello, Dulce.”
At first, you’re in shock; the Spanish word for candy is not a nickname people commonly call you and it’s one you haven’t heard in over ten years. Then joy of recognition and realization overtake you and you completely forget where you are, crying out, “Pero!!!” Your arms behave of their own accord and fly open to wrap around his neck as you launch yourself into the handsome man’s arms.
He hugs you back firmly and whispers low in your ear, “Happy to see you, too” before releasing you, the both of you immediately stepping apart and drop your hands to your sides, remembering where you are and that the eyes of the ton are always watching. But you can’t help but beam; nor can you look away from Pero’s face.
Pero Tovar had been your most constant and beloved friend for many of your happiest childhood years spent abroad. Pero’s father, a Barón of Spain, was in charge of naval governance for his country in a similar capacity as your father was for England and accordingly, their paths crossed regularly in foreign countries. Both men of gentlemanly dispositions, the Count and the Barón had forged a deep and lasting friendship as they conducted their business. Another thing that they had bonded over was the fact that they were both widows who uncharacteristically chose to bring and raise their children with them on their travels.
So, although Pero is eight years your elder and already in his early teens when you first met, being the only two children of sea loving foreign diplomats in the strange lands you found yourselves in readily recommended you to each other and you had become happy and frequent playmates. Pero devoted hours and hours to your amusement, allowing himself to play more juvenile games of pretend that he may not otherwise with compatriots of his own age, and with his encouragement you grew to be brave and curious, always wishing to keep up with the older boy. He helped you with your studies, and you played music for him, learning and mastering the pieces he enjoyed the most. The two of you shared a love of literature and it became your special version of a traditional hunt in each new country you landed in to find foreign language versions of the other’s favourite books so that you could read the translations alongside your worn English copies. Some of the most cherished copies of your favourite books, ones you carry with you from country to country still, were gifts from Pero.
As you got older, your shared adventures expanded to include exploring the streets of new cities, trying local cuisines and frolicking on the beaches of the coasts of Italy, Portugal and even India. The last time you had seen him, he was a strapping young man of twenty and you had been twelve. His father was returning to Spain for an undetermined amount of time to deal with affairs of his estate, and Pero would be entering university, having postponed his acceptance for two years already. Although you had each promised to write, the letters were far and few between and eventually you lost track of Pero – you can hardly blame either of you; you were travelling with your father and not always easy to find, and you didn’t really expect a young man concentrating on his studies to have the time to write to a young girl despite having been her very best friend for so many years.
But now he’s standing right in front of you and you can hardly believe your eyes. He’s impossibly tall and wide, a far cry from the lanky boy with whom you scrambled over rocks on the beaches of Portugal, but he’s still tanned, leading you to surmise that he must still sail or at least get a healthy amount of sun regularly. And while his face is older, devastatingly handsome with a cutting jawline partially hidden by untamed facial scruff, he’s completely recognizable to you. An easy clue is the scar that runs from above his left eyebrow down past his eye, though faded from when you saw it last, but it’s the indulgent smile he’s giving you right now that gives him away to you.
“What are you doing at this ball? Did you know I would be here?” you can’t help but continue to stare at Pero wide-eyed, grinning like a fool.
“Oh! We made the connection earlier this week at dinner,” chimes in Colin, “We were going to bring him over to the house but thought this would be more fun.”
You make to swat at Colin’s arm. “How did you meet this scoundrel?” you jest, with absolutely no malice in your voice, pointing your thumb at the still laughing Bridgerton brother. As your group starts to move towards the ballroom, Pero falls into an easy step by your side, “We met when Colin was taking in the crisp sea air of Mykonos, and then again last year in the vineyards of Tuscany. He made for excellent company after a long day of helping the locals prune grape vines. Naturally, when I arrived in London for business this month, I had to look him up.”
Daphne is now tugging you towards the ballroom by your hand, and in turn, you’ve grabbed onto and are practically dragging Eloise down the hall with you. You shout back to Pero, “I want to hear everything!” and can’t help the smile that spreads across your excited face when he nods after you.
“Oh!” you breathe, invigorated from the surprise of seeing Pero, as you come to a stop right before the entrance way. Daphne smiles over at you, “It was so hard keeping it a secret from you!”
You’re astonished, “You knew about Pero as well?”
“Yes, I thought it might give you an additional boost of confidence to have another friend’s support during your first event.”
You smile at your sweet friend and squeeze her hand affectionately, “Thank you! It does and I’m delighted to see Pero again. But in truth, my confidence could never be lacking when I have a friend like you next to me.”
Daphne gives you her biggest smile and squeezes your hand right back. A moment later, the three of you step into the ballroom and meet the gazes of the other attendees as you’re announced.
---
The ball is a whirlwind. It seems you hardly have a moment to even catch your breath, never mind catch up with Pero. From the moment you walked in to the grand hall, you were pulled in this direction and then that, introduced to new person after new person, some of whose names were familiar from your visits home over the years, and others only from the copious amounts of study you’ve done on the ton over the past week. You’ve certainly forgotten all their names by now.
Then it’s dance after dance after dance with the young gentleman that Daphne parades in front of you. The dancing itself is quite pleasant and a lovely way to shake out some of your jitters, but you find the small talk hardly enough to get to know your partners, and when the dance is over and you’re once again being whisked away to another introduction or meeting that the Duchess has lined up for you. The few opportunities you’ve had to take a breather and indulge in a glass of lemonade, you’ve been happy to retreat back to Pero and your small familiar group; but just when you’ve started to entreat your old friend to open up about his adventures since you saw him last, another potential suitor will be introduced and the entire cycle starts over again.
It’s only when you’re halfway through the evening that the frenzy has died down enough that you can observe and be amused by Pero’s behaviour at the ball. While you’re constantly twirling around the dancefloor, you notice that he never leaves his position against the wall and doesn’t dance at all; he mainly scowls and looks displeased, hardly speaking to anyone other than the Bridgertons or you when you have a free moment. You feel his eyes follow you as you glide across the dance floor with the young men that have asked you to dance, and even when you’re making your way through the room on Daphne’s arm, meeting and making small talk with the other families of the ton. When you do happen to look up and search for him, you often find him glowering and looking dissatisfied, though if you catch his eye, his expression will soften slightly.
Once while you were dancing with Lord Whitfield, you had caught Pero’s eye mid-turn and made a silly quizzical face at him, as if to ask What’s going on with you? and you think you see him laugh briefly before the steps of the dance require you to turn away from him. You wonder why frowns so fearsomely and if there’s a reason for him to be so stoic and curt with the rest of the ton. It’s so odd to you as you’ve never had so much as a cross word from him in all the time you’ve known him, not even when you had snuck out of the compound in Singapore when you were nine so you could watch the fireworks display. Pero had come looking for you, his face serious and eyes panicked when he finally found you in the busy square, but he never once got mad. Instead, he swore not to tell your father, and promised that if you had wanted to see the fireworks up close, he would accompany you. And then he did just that the next night and the night after that. But here, when not engaging the company of his friends, Pero’s countenance is positively sour. Any hopes harboured by the mamas of the ton for snagging a Spanish nobility son-in-law this season are quickly dashed. Barón Tovar is decidedly not here to find a wife.
With the evening more than half over, you realize that unless you make the point to do so, an opportunity to speak more than a few minutes with Pero will surely not present itself. And while you are having fun meeting potential suitors, your mind consistently wanders to Pero throughout the evening. Aside from simply wishing to catch up with him and be in his comforting presence, you do have something important you feel compelled to speak to him on.
After a particularly spirited quadrille, you curtsey your gratitude for the dance to Mr. Sedgewick, and before any of the young men you spy hovering nearby can approach you, you hurry as elegantly as you can toward where Pero is standing awkwardly pressed to the wall.
Pero, having seen the look of determination on your face when seeking him out, asks with concern when you come up to him, “Is everything okay, Dulce?”
There he is, you smile when you see the kind, gentle expression of the boy that you knew for so many years, “Everything is fine, Pero. Although I must admit to needing a respite from all the endless socializing. Do you think we could get some lemonade?”
“Of course. I would be happy to accompany you in fetching a glass.”
With Pero by your side, any person who previously had designs on engaging you during this brief break between dances now thinks better of it; you chuckle to yourself as his fearsome expression comically paves a clear path for you to the refreshments table. Once having secured your drink, you ask Pero if you can speak to him privately.
Careful not to lead you from view of other people lest it incite a scandal, Pero finds a quiet place in the entrance hallway and turns to find you looking up at him rather seriously.
When you’re certain you have his attention, you launch into your confession, “Pero, please allow me to tell you how sorry I was to hear of your father’s passing. I remember him as such a kind, generous man, and such a wonderful friend to my father and by extension, me. I will always think of him with tremendous fondness.”
“Thank you, Dulce. I know he thought very highly of both you and your father and forever treasured your friendships.”
But you’re not done and start to shake your head, eyes filling with tears, “And I’m so very sorry that I did not write to you at the time. I didn't know where you were, but I should have been more diligent in my efforts to find you. I deeply regret not being there for you if you needed someone. I hope you were not alone during that difficult time.”
You hang your head in shame. Pero feels a deep affection for you blossoming in his chest; before him is the same sweet and compassionate girl he knew when he was a boy. Tender-hearted and endlessly considerate of the feelings of others, you always had more empathy than you knew what to do with; he himself had been on the receiving end of your care and concern more times than he could count. Pero gently tips you chin up with his gloved finger, “It was a tough time and I miss him a great deal. But he was an incredible man and I strive to follow the example he set for me everyday. So, in many ways, he is still with me. No need for any apologies.” He gives you what he hopes is a soft and reassuring smile.
In return, you grin, “Who are you and what have you done with my friend? The boy I knew would have made me pay dearly for even the slightest offense - my portion of dessert for a week, at the very least.”
Unable to hold back his own grin, Pero is finding it easy to slip back into this familiar type of playful banter with you, “Well, I was trying to be a gentleman, but since you think me nothing more than a brute, I shall have no trouble devising an appropriate punishment. For your transgression against me, I demand… a dance.”
You laugh whole-heartedly and it feels wonderful to laugh loudly at something genuinely funny rather than the quiet polite laughter you’ve been making most of the evening. “A dance? Well, that is hardly a concession for me! One dance with you means one less spot on my dance card for some lord I don’t know but who Daphne thinks I might find charming,” you joke.
“Are you finding your potential suitors so far to be villains or are they all just very boring?” smirks Pero.
Giving him a little punch in the arm to show him you’re not really complaining, “I am not so terribly unfeeling. They are for the most part fine enough gentlemen. The particular circumstance we find ourselves in just makes them so very eager. It can feel terribly awkward.”
“None of them are good enough for you anyway.”
“Oh, and you are?” you jest, eyes full of mirth.
“Dulce, I’m the worst of the bunch,” counters Pero, leaning in close.
“I don’t doubt it,” you haven’t smiled this wide all evening.
“Be that as it may, the price you must pay to regain my favour remains the same. Shall we?” Pero holds out his arm, waiting for you to accept his dance invitation; you hold on to him gratefully and head back into the main ballroom, realizing this is the first dance of the ball that you’ve truly looked forward to.
When Pero takes his place across from you, the tittering from the crowd that the Barón has finally taken to the dance floor can be heard over the opening notes of the music. You can’t help but giggle, and Pero beams back at you – your light laughter more melodic than any music he’s ever heard.
Hand firmly curling around your waist, Pero sways you to the beat and the two of you carry out the steps of the dance comfortably together. You hadn’t realized how much stress you’ve been under or how much tension you’ve been holding in until now, when you find yourself actually relaxing in Pero’s strong hold. For the first time this evening, you’re dancing without nerves or the pressure of having to make polite conversation or a good first impression; you can simply be. You sigh in contentment.
“What is it, Dulce? Are my dance skills not to the standard set by your other partners this evening?”
“Hardly,” you chuckle, “I know for a fact that you dance remarkably well. And if I were to have any complaints, the blame would rest squarely on my shoulders since we learned these dances together.”
“That’s true, we can only be as good as the partners we practice with.”
“Exactly. At least that’s what Madam used to say, right before she would rap you on your shoulders with her rhythm baton,” you muse, nostalgic.
“That weapon had a name? I have not thought of Madam for many years now, but upon my word if I did not straighten up and stiffen my arms just now.”
You share another chortle as only two close friends with a long history of fond memories and inside jokes between them can. When you sigh again, Pero cocks his scarred eyebrow at you.
“Do not think me dissatisfied, my Lord. It is simply just so comfortable dancing with you, as if it has not been over ten years since we last did so.”
“I feel the same way, Dulce.”
You smile sincerely at Pero; although you could explain yourself further, you somehow know that he understands your meaning without you having to do so. Feeling content, both heart and mood light in the safety of Pero’s closed frame, you find yourself wishing that you could spend the rest of the ball dancing with only him.
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#pero tovar#regency!pero tovar#pero tovar fic#pero tovar fanfiction#bridgerton au#pero tovar x you#pero tovar x f!reader#pero tovar x reader#pedro pascal characters fanfiction#pedro pascal characters#no y/n
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I NEED A FLUFF ALPHABET FOR THE REMAINING 7 MEMBERS OF TWICE, STAT (PREFERABLY STARTING TZUYU AND THEN JIHYO) BUT WHATEVER ORDER YOU CHOOSE IS FINE BY NEED, I JUST NEED OT9 TWICE FLUFF ALPHABET NOWWWWWW--
Tzuyu Fluff Alphabet (Requested!)
a/n: of course, lovely! I am so happy you enjoyed my previous works on the Twice members, and I'm happy to (albeit slowly) work on all of the twice fluff alphabets! ❤️ also final exams are this week, please keep me in your prayers as I attempt to pass three exams. 🥲
tw: none!
♡ Masterlist ♡
Affection (How do they show their affection? What love language(s) do they use?)
Not wanting to overwhelm you or herself, she chooses to express her love in quick kisses, subtle touches, and small gestures. Tzuyu definitely shows her love in acts of service along with quality time - there’s nothing better than making you smile with a small gesture as the two of you are together.
Beauty (What do they admire about their S/O? What makes their S/O beautiful?)
You can catch her staring at your face a lot, she’ll deny it to the stars and back, however. There’s something so intriguing and comforting about you that she’s drawn to, so she spends a lot of time studying you. Unfortunately, she can get a bit distracted when she stares at your lips and eyes for too long, so make sure to give her a quick kiss to bring her down to Earth.
Comfort (How would they help their S/O if they were having a rough day?)
Wherever she is at the moment, as long as it isn’t work-related or an unskippable commitment, Tzuyu will come to you if you call/text her that you’ve had a rough day. Of course, you’ll tell her that she could’ve just come to see you afterward, but she likes to show you that you’re a priority to her, and she’ll always be here when you need her the most.
Dreams (How do they picture their future with their S/O?)
Tzuyu wants a future where the two of you can share your culture and customs with one another. Whether you’re living in Korea, Taiwan, or your home country, she wants to keep learning everything about you, especially if you’re learning about each other in the process.
Equal (Do they tend to be more dominant or passive in the relationship?)
Tzuyu is the more passive person in the relationship, but she likes to plan small dates and outings together. You may have to do more of the heavy lifting when it comes to planning vacations or longer events (or your wedding :] )
Fight (Would they easily forgive their S/O after a fight? How would a typical fight go?)
Honestly, the two of you don’t get into serious arguments, it’s more so subtle disagreements about smaller issues. You both are quick to resolve the issue, move past it, and prevent any further problems because you don’t want to upset each other in the future.
Gratitude (How grateful are they for everything that their S/O does for them?)
Tzuyu isn’t the most verbal when it comes to her gratitude or praise, so she shows her thanks with small hand squeezes or a short, loving note attached to your fridge. If you catch her in a softer mood, she’ll wrap her arms around you and give you a long back hug as a thank you for everything that you do for her.
Honesty (Do they tend to keep secrets from their S/O, or do they share everything?)
Tzuyu is honest with her partner, but she doesn’t reveal everything immediately. She’s the kind of person who will randomly tell you a childhood story after you mention a topic relating to the story. Although she isn’t a yapper, she will tell you everything over time. You just have to be patient with her.
Inspiration (Did their S/O change them, or was it the other way around?)
You’re inspired by Tzuyu’s hardworking nature. No matter what is in her way, she always works through it with a graceful smile on her face. You find yourself trying to emulate her positive traits, which causes her to tease you at times for “trying too hard”.
Jealousy (Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?)
The “bite your tongue and don’t say anything unless you’re extremely uncomfortable” type. You’re an adult, you can handle being around someone your own age who is extremely attractive. Tzuyu doesn’t have to like it, but she quickly gets over it when you give her a small kiss or a quick hug.
Kiss (How often do they kiss you? Where do they like to kiss you?)
She doesn’t usually initiate the kiss, so how much you kiss is mostly up to you. If she does kiss you, it’s usually a quick peck to the cheek or your forehead. You can catch her off-guard and turn your head, causing your lips to meet. When this happens, Tzuyu usually deepens the kiss for a bit before shyly backing away from you.
Lazy Day (How do they like to spend days off with their S/O?)
Tzuyu likes to both stay in and go out when you both have a day off to spend with one another. You might sleep in late, all cuddle together, before going out to eat and do a little shopping before visiting an amusement park. You head back in the evening and watch your favorite show/movie as you fall asleep next to one another.
Marriage (Do they want to get married? How often do they think about marrying their S/O?)
It isn’t a constant thought in Tzuyu’s mind until she stares at you one day and thinks about how much she wants to spend the rest of her life with you. Then it nags at her for a bit before she confronts you, and you end up talking about what you want from your futures with each other.
Nicknames (What do they call their S/O?)
Babe, honey, darling
Standard, simple, and sweet, or she’ll just call you by your name if she wants to tease/annoy you.
On Cloud Nine (What are they like when they are in love? Is it extremely obvious to others?)
Tzuyu is mostly herself when she’s head over heels for you, except she may talk about you more often than her other friends or family, which gives people the hint pretty early on that you’re more than friends. Or she has a small Freudian slip and calls you her partner casually to her friends and family who had no idea that she was dating you.
PDA (Are they very upfront with their relationship, or do they prefer to keep things quiet?)
Tzuyu likes for most of her relationship to remain private, but she doesn’t mind sharing pictures or videos to social media for friends and family. She also tells them about you, whether it’s basic information, a fun story, or something romantic that you did for her.
Quirk (Some random personality trait that makes them an excellent partner.)
Tzuyu is respectful of you and your boundaries. Although she doesn’t move fast in any relationship, if you happen to want to move slower with her, she’ll happily do so for you. She always asks if it’s okay to kiss or touch you, especially if it’s the first time that you show affection to one another.
Romance (Are they a born romantic ready to woo their S/O at any moment, or do they struggle to spark romantic moments with their S/O?)
Tzuyu lies in a comfortable middle ground between the two options. She’s not a natural born romantic, but she’s not unable to spark romantic moments. If the mood calls for it, she’s willing to step up to the plate and be more romantic with you.
Support (How do they help support their S/O to reach their goals?)
She leaves small notes for you around the house and, if possible, quietly tells you how amazing you are and how you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it. Tzuyu’s going to be there for you, no matter if you succeed or fail, just as you’ve been for her.
Thrill (Do they like trying out new things to spice up their relationship, or do they prefer to stick to a routine?)
Tzuyu likes to stick to routine, but she isn’t against you trying to spice up the relationship every once and a while. Bring her to a new restaurant or place that you can explore together.
Understanding (How well do they know their partner?)
Tzuyu has a deep understanding of you that’s come from being around you and admiring you from afar. She notices and appreciates your smallest quirks as much as your loudest personality traits.
Value (How important is the relationship to the person versus other relationships and things in their life?)
She tries to hold everything to equal value - her job, her romantic relationship, her familial relationships, and her platonic ones - but sometimes one has to come over another for a small period of time. You’ll always be important to her since you’re the one she wants to spend the rest of her time with.
Wild Card (A random fluffy headcanon that you have about the relationship?)
When you slip up and make a funny mistake, she won’t point and laugh or record you doing so. Instead, she softly exhales and teases you for a bit before helping you clean up.
XOXO (Do they like to kiss, hug, and cuddle you? How often do they do so?)
Although she won’t often initiate it, Tzuyu does like to hug, kiss, and cuddle you. She cuddles up to you every night you spend together, and when you’re watching movies or TV. Hugs are often her choice of greeting or comfort, along with a quick kiss.
Yearning (How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?)
Tzuyu usually dives into her work, hobbies, or other projects while you’re away. She does call you every night and will FaceTime you if you’re up to do so. She knows you’ll come back to her, it’s only a matter of time.
Zeal (Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind?)
She doesn’t often say it, but Tzuyu will go to great lengths for the relationship. She’d sacrifice a lot for the two of you, but you have to show some appreciation or sacrifices of your own in order to make her invest fully in the relationship.
#kpop x reader#kpop imagines#kpop scenarios#kpop#kpop fanfic#kpop gg#girl group imagines#girl group scenarios#girl group x reader#girl group#girl group fanfic#twice fanfic#twice x y/n#twice x you#twice x reader#twice scenarios#twice imagines#twice tzuyu#tzuyu reactions#tzuyu imagines#tzuyu#chou tzuyu#tzuyu x you#tzuyu x reader#x reader#fanfic#chou tzuyu x reader#chou tzuyu imagines#tzuyu scenarios#chou tzuyu scenarios
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actually i would kinda prefer if people didn't read shuro being reserved and conflict avoidant purely bc he's Fantasy Japanese. I get people want to add nuance after he received a lot of hate for his treatment of laios, but chalking it up to japanese people being Like That seems a lil weird. For one thing, practically no one else from the archipelago we meet acts like him, except benichidori, who is actually very similar to shuro, not bc of their shared heritage, but bc their particular brand of childhood trauma overlaps with their low self-esteem/overall sense of self.
Shuro is the first son of an extremely charismatic feudal lord that he dislikes bc of his impulsivity and bold personality, but also bc he is constantly compared to him, leading him to resent those traits in others. Shuro is an outcast even on the archipelago purely bc he is a reserved and soft-spoken guy who is seen as inferior to his frat bro dad. He hates laios bc he represents the recklessness and impulsiveness he hates about his father, while also being too good-natured for shuro to feel comfortably justified in hating him. It has less to do with the culture of the archipelago and more shuros unique circumstances that led him to not only hate laios' personality, but be incapable of telling him.
There are plenty of other complicated parts of shuros character, namely his relationship with archipelago's slave trade, his treatment of maizuru and his other retainers, and his largely onesided relationship with falin, which you could argue have been greatly affected by the feudal culture of the archipelago, but i really do think that this is more a case of Shuro's personal baggage than something that can be applied to the entire culture.
#dungeon meshi#delicious in dungeon#shuro dungeon meshi#even if archipelago culture is more subtle#it doesn't really feel that way from the people we've seen
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Reading advice for writers on how and how not to write Jewish characters, and looking back on my '90s childhood, I think there were at least two shows that had pretty good representation.
First of all, Rugrats.
Yes, Tommy Pickles' family is interfaith, and they celebrate Christmas and Easter. But it never comes across as just an excuse to make Tommy "goyische in all but name." His Jewish grandparents are prominent, funny, likable supporting characters. The original show had a Passover special and a Hanukkah special, and more recently, the CGI reboot had a Purim special. Nor, if I remember correctly, does the family practice any Christianity apart from the holidays. Instead of being Christians with just a few token Jewish trappings, this interfaith family is basically Jewish except that they celebrate Christmas and Easter in secular ways. And apparently (though I've only read about it), the sequel series All Grown Up has the 11-year-old Tommy explicitly identify as Jewish, not half-Jewish... as he should, since his mother is the Jewish parent.
Also, coming from an interfaith family myself, I loved the fact that Tommy was "like me." And I love the mere fact that, even within an interfaith context, the show has the protagonist himself be Jewish rather than a supporting character. Especially because the supporting cast includes Chuckie Finster, a red-haired, glasses-wearing, nebbishy, neurotic boy – yet he's not Jewish, while protagonist Tommy, who has none of those traits, is.
Then there was The Puzzle Place, a PBS puppet show that revolved around six friends of different ethnicities, which included a Jewish girl, Jody. I think it did pretty well where she was concerned.
The show's holiday special pointedly averted the "Jewish character celebrates Christmas with their friends because it's fun" trope. Besides teaching her friends about Hanukkah, Jody also made it clear that she didn't celebrate Christmas and didn't want to, and she resisted her Norwegian-American friend Ben's attempts to "help her" join in the Christmas festivities. Another episode, revolving around different kinds of bread in different cultures, took place at Passover and had Jody unable to eat the fry bread that Apache boy Skye brought for everyone to try. A lesser show might have had her break down and have some in the end, but she didn't, she just agreed to try some the next time he brought it. She also explained Passover to the other kids, gave them all matzo to taste, and even sang the hamotzi before they ate it. In another episode, where the theme was "growing up," she told her friends about b'nai mitzvah, and in another, which was about dealing with death, her dad talked about sitting shiva. Yet her Jewishness didn't define her either; other episodes where she was the protagonist dealt with universal issues, like facing a bully or coming to terms with her parents' divorce.
These are things you don't see in every kids' show.
#judaism#jewish#children's shows#television#'90s nostalgia#rugrats#the puzzle place#nickelodeon#pbs#cartoon#puppet show#representation
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“there should be a new face for DID online”
hey so full offence LOL but to choose one person to be the “figurehead/face/image” for DID is so fucking tone deaf my ears are bleeding.
do you really think one person can be the sole representative of this disorder?
do you honestly think one person could entirely portray every experience under the umbrella of “101 ways to fuck a child up” ?
do you really honestly think having one person with DID being the ENTIRE image for OSDD, DID, PF-DID, TBMC DID, P-DID is whats good for everyone?
just one motherfucker we’re all supposed to place extreme guidance in what a system can present as & what healing is supposed to be ? really .
for gods sake . the reason why there isnt a face to autism is because autism can happen to everyone. you know what can also happen to anyone? chronic & repeated childhood abuse. 
there should not be ONE face per community. a community is made up of several bodies who all manage to cover the entire scale of experience. to claim the face of OSDDID should be one person takes this away from ALL OF US.
theres NO reason for there to be one person defining the experiences of OSDDID, bc simply put NO ONE could experience the whole scale of OSDDID and know everything under the sun that can hurt a child.
its not fair to make the face of OSDDID one person. you could not understand the experience everyone holds in their own significant, detailed life.
people need to see people who understand them culturally, ethnically, religiously, and disorder wise- simply because we all have the right to know We are not alone in our lived experiences. that there are people out there who look like us and talk like us and heal like us.
we dont need one face for OSDDID community, we need multiple.
#yowling#osddid#actually dissociative#ramcoa#system#actually did#actually traumagenic#actually osdd#actually pdid#pdid system#osdd community#did osdd#cdid#dissociative system#dissociative identity disorder#otherwise specified dissociative disorder#tags are for reach#bc everyone deserves to hear this#system stuff
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LONG POST: About the situation in Inner Mongolia, Tuva, Kalmykia and Buryatia:
See this red piece of land here?
It’s almost as big as the actual country of Mongolia right?
…Wanna know why?
IT’S STOLEN LAND.
I am a Mongolian person from Outer Mongolia, it pains me to see my fellow siblings being subjected to a cultural genocide right now in China.
ALMOST NOBODY is talking about this.
Go ahead and search “Inner Mongolia” on any social media platform, see anything loosely related to it being stolen, or the eradication of the Mongolian language and culture in schools by the CCP?
Not much or close to none, right?
Unlike Tibet and Uyghurs, the other two biggest ethnic minorities in China, which have a number of campaigns/gofundmes/articles about the situation, there’s only a few articles about Inner Mongolia.
Do you want to know why you don’t hear about Inner Mongolia? Censorship and oppression.
Remember Tibet? And how China oppresses Tibetan Buddhism as a result, resulting in His Holiness, the Dalai Lama to leave his people’s homeland and reside in India? The biggest religion practiced in Mongolia and Inner Mongolia is Tibetan Buddhism.
I currently cannot find ANY campaigns aiming for a free Inner Mongolia, much less any recognizing what’s going on.
The Mongolic people have been the victims of genocide multiple times.
I’ve heard numerous negative opinions from foreigners online and in real life about the Mongol Empire and how “Mongolians deserve to be oppressed, China is doing them a favor, Traditional Mongolian script is used in Inner Mongolia and has a higher GDP, Outer Mongolia only uses Cyrillic.”
( Mongolia was colonized by the Soviet Union, and subjected to communism, do you know what it feels like for your own family members, brainwashed by communist propaganda during childhood, even now swearing up and down that Russians are superior and everything they do is correct. And when asked whether the innocent Mongolian Buddhist monks deserved to die at the hands of Russians, they said it was deserved?! This is how insane propaganda can get, nobody is immune)
Do you realize how fucked up that is?? To hear so many say your people deserve this??
“Mongolian is our mother language! We are Mongolian until death!” shouted ethnic-Mongolian students in China’s Inner Mongolia, in opposition to a government policy, ending bilingual education. Critics of this policy see it as the latest move in a decades’ long campaign aimed at erasing the Mongolian culture.
- PLEASE READ THESE ARTICLES, they’re not the most recent, but they tell the truth.
Why critics are asking if Inner Mongolia is the next Tibet or Xinjiang This is from 2023.
Inner Mongolia in 'War-Like State' This article is from 2011, however the events that were reported are still happening.
Mongolians in China Face 'Cultural Genocide' as Language, Culture Swept Aside: Group
This article is from 2021. It’s recent enough.
This goes without saying, but xenophobia is also extremely prevalent in China against ethnic minorities.
I highly recommend reading this specific tumblr post. I am also apart of many fandoms surrounding chinese media. OP makes many valid points and I cannot support them enough.
From personal experiences, I have also read about my people and Central Asians being portrayed as brutal, savage, uncivilized barbarians in many Chinese-American novels. It’s heartbreaking.
I despise how the world turns a blind eye to my brothers and sisters suffering, just because the severity of what my people endured is less than other groups, doesn’t mean that we should only focus on helping one minority, support all groups under oppression and colonialism no matter the severity of their situations.
I just found this Youtube video detailing the situation in Inner Mongolia, it’s beautifully done. PLEASE PLEASE WATCH THE FULL VIDEO, Beginning to End.
Why China Doesn’t Want You To Know About This Place.
youtube
Not to mention, the countries of Tuva, Buryatia, and Kalmykia are stolen by Russia just like Inner Mongolia. Throughout its history, Russia has seized foreign lands, colonizing indigenous peoples and destroying their national identity.
Note: I am not talking about the Sakha (Yakutia) because I am personally not apart of their community and will not talk over Yakut voices regarding Yakutia such as: https://www.instagram.com/verona.petrova?igsh=MXkyMHY3NDVoZjZxMg==
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2iRvYqvu1M/?igsh=MTFucHg5aDdjaDFocA==
instagram
The Tuvans are a Turkic group with their own language however, they share many cultural aspects with Mongolians. Tuva is the most poverty stricken place in Russia with the lowest standards of living.
The Buryats are an ethnic minority of Siberia whose population of around half a million largely follow a blend of Buddhism and Shamanism.
They are closely related to the Mongols, and the two groups share similar histories, cultures, religious beliefs, and lifestyles.
The Buryat language is considered one of the world’s most endangered languages.
Soldiers from Tuva and Buryatia have the highest casualty rates per 100,000 for Russia in the Ukraine war.
“These are some of Russia’s poorest regions: places where many young men see the army as their only chance to earn a decent living. And it’s these places that are now paying a disproportionately high price as Russian war casualties continue to rise.”
Please see: Free Buryatia Foundation, Buryat Liberation Movement, Mass Deportation and Ethnic cleansing of Kalmykia, The Kalmyk Deportations of 1943. Ukraine war: Tuva and Buryatia pay the highest price, but latest BBC Russian casualty figures show poverty not ethnicity the key factor.
Free Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Kurdistan, Armenia, Haiti, Yemen, Tigray, Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Arakan, Tamil, Eelam, Western Sahara, West Papua, Kashmir, Canary Islands, & everyone undergoing genocide / colonialism.
Spread awareness about the femicides in Kazakhstan:
The Rise of Non-Consensual Bride Kidnapping in Kazakhstan: Developing a Culturally-Informed and Gender-Sensitive Response
Kazakh Activists Urge Authorities To Toughen Punishment For Domestic Violence
Can An Ex-Minister's Arrest In His Wife's Brutal Killing Finally Bring Protections To Kazakh Women?
EurasiaChat: Gender-based violence rears its ugly head again
YOU DON'T NEED TO GO OUT AND PROTEST, SIMPLY REBLOGING, LIKING, SPREADING AWARENESS, AND REPLYING HELPS AS WELL!!!
#inner mongolia#mongolia#free inner mongolia#uyghurs#tibet#tibetan buddhism#free tibet#china#ccp#xinjiang uyghurs#xinjiang#free congo#congo genocide#congo#palestine#free gaza#free palestine#Youtube#sudan#free sudan#free west papua#yemen#free yemen#free tigray#tigray#all eyes on palestine#all eyes on gaza#all eyes on rafah#kazakhstan#genocide
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When I was a kid, my favorite characters in Naruto were Gaara, Sasori, and Naruto.
Now, after having read, finally, all the manga at 28, that drastically changed.
Now, without a doubt, my favorite characters are Obito and Kakashi, and the main reason is: they are human.
I'm not saying that the other characters of the story are not human, but they all have that indistinguishable "fantasy" layers on them.
But Obito and Kakashi? Their story, their motives, their emotions, their responses at the events of the main story, are so intrinsically human.
Probably what I'm writing make no sense, but Ill' try my best to explain, even if I have difficulty to write this in english.
This is my opinion, and naturally everyone has their take based on their own culture and their life.
When I say they are " intrinsically human", I mean that if someone else was in their place, they would have made their same choices and actions. Because, their response to a destabilizing and traumatic events (the third ninja war as child soldiers, Kannabi bridge, Rin's decision, and so on) it's different, but also understandable. Who could have act differently? No one can say with confidence and no hesitation how they would act in certain situations. I'm no therapist, but people have different reactions to traumatic events. We are not the same.
So, seeing how Obito and Kakashi had so conflicting reactions to the sames events, conflicting with their own childhood self even though you could see even then there was something, something that you could see and say "yes, this is only the tip of the iceberg," because we are not the same as our child selves, but our child selves had something that made who we are today, and the "we" of today have something that it's a reminder of our child selves.
I, have so much more to add, but don't have the words in english to say it. I don't even know if what I wrote make any sense, it was something that I wanted to say because this two make me cry, and I hardly cry for fiction. But this two made my cry like I haven't cried for years, just because their story is so viscerally human and close to what I feel in general, that I don't even know anymore.
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Okay I don’t want this to be like an obnoxious millennial assumption because I’m positive that every generation has things like this, but the way autism and ADHD was treated for us in the 90’s and how it affects adult diagnoses is like, imo, so integral to our coming of age and the stories we tell and the way we’ve gotten to know ourselves, even the way it relates to our job market and economy and how we operate inside it, and especially the way a pandemic uncovered it for so many people and exposed the cracks and revealed that we were all just barely functioning and held together with popsicle sticks and anyway
I say that because maybe it’s the un-diagnosed 90’s child in me but I feel particularly emotional about Keith’s arc in learning that he’s part Galra, and the way even the creators said they made him sort of prickly because of his biology, and I just !! Think so much about Keith’s neurotype as a part Galra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cause something about being diagnosed later in life is like, looking back at all the other ways you tried to handle yourself, all the missteps, maybe even misdiagnoses. Like, how many times did you try to treat ANXIETY without realizing you didn’t have an anxiety disorder, you just can’t deal with your family blaring the TV from the next room? How many times were you told you were lazy, or lying, when you didn’t know what executive dysfunction is?
Keith is such a lovely rich character because his prickliness is EARNED—we know what happened to him, we know he’s traumatized, we know he’s been treated poorly by many people in his life. We know that he grew up thinking that he’d been abandoned by one of the people who should’ve loved him the most, in the whole world. He even questions that in his vlog—he makes the connection that he has trouble with people because of his mom.
But I just wonder like, how much of it is just his biology. Not understanding the body he’s in, being completely ignorant of one whole half of his culture. Had he ever mutated before the TBP fight? Did it take him by surprise, did it frighten him? ((* This is head canon territory LMAO there’s no way to really know—like, is he able to do this because he just spent so much time with Krolia, or does Shiro going That’s the Keith I remember mean they used to have really primal sex that turned his eyes yellow? Lol))
Like when we talk about even the most broad generic terms of saying someone is neurodivergent, we don't even need to put a real life label on Keith. Like he's literally not human! Of course his brain looks different! Of course he functions differently! And I wonder how much is nature v nurture -- if he knew the truth about his mom, if his dad had lived, if he'd been allowed a normal childhood, would he still have been a weird kid?
Cause like, even seeing the way Shiro is able to get through to him, we see ways that he allowed for thrill seeking, and he didn't judge Keith for stealing his car. It reminds me of like, what we know now about asking children to sit still in school, and how perhaps some children would do better with standing desks. Shiro wants him to behave and succeed, and doesn't judge him for being a car thief, and gets through to him by bringing him cliff diving. And it just feels like this clue, you know, that nothing is wrong with Keith, he's just living in a weird place where people don't get him.
It’s just really special to me, because there’s so many pieces in the sequence of events of Keith’s character arc, and I know I’ve said this a handful of times now, but I really sincerely believe it’s the only thing the show really nailed. Accepting himself during the BOM Trial -> MOMENTS later learning something ver important about his biology -> spending time with Krolia -> coming back to pilot Black when he’s READY and WANTS to (unlike the first time, when he resisted) -> becoming a pragmatic strong leader by the end.
Gosh idk.
I don’t really have anywhere to go with this, it’s just something I was thinking about today and it gets me real emotional. Like, Keith must have had these moments, re-evaluating who he’d been before he’d known, finally understanding why he was Like That, and it’s so healing to imagine him accepting his past self and forgiving it because he understands now.
#hes just a lil baby#keith kogane#sheith#SPACE MAN META#i watched the lion king this morning and cried my eyes out and it got me so upset about keith LMFAO
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OH MAH GAWSH I JUST SAW YOUR LATEST CHAPTER OF A NEW COMIC YOU'RE JUST MAKING! AAACK (/≧▽≦)/! I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS:
-What is this comic all abt?
-What or where does this comic take place in?
-How many chapters will this comic have?
EEK! I'M VERY HAPPY AND EXCITED THAT YOU HAVE A COMIC NEOW, THAT WAY I CAN GET TO KNOW MY PRECIOUS NAWA MORE >:3
QUESTION 1
You’re going to see her mess up. Joking! (Or am I?)
I’m going to explore her personality, line of thinking, and unhealthy mindset. She’s going to make mistakes in the process because of this.
It’ll also delve into her childhood, family, and pre-colonial culture of the Philippines (as much as I like the traje de mestiza and the culture during the Spanish Colonial Era, I want to give pre-colonial culture just as much love).
Also, character development. AND TRAUMA!
I figured it was time for me to stop pampering her. And I won't hold back.
QUESTION 2
Post S4! In the first chapter, she’s at the moon base.
QUESTION 3
No idea how many chapters it’ll have, but it has 4-5 arcs (or episodes). I have a rough draft, but it's not concrete and subject to change.
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Obsessed with what it means to be a follower of Junko's ideology of despair. Like. We all know and understand what despair is as a feeling. But. What is despair as an ideological driving force? What does it mean to create a world of despair - like, on the macro scale?
What is the culture of Ultimate Despair as a global movement?
"What is despair as an ideology?" is an incredibly complicated question to answer. So much so that Junko 2.0 herself, Monaca Towa, got twisted up in confused knots trying to answer it and wound up ragequitting the whole thing.
Because at the end of the day, trying to pin a legitimate philosophy to Ultimate Despair may well be an effort in futility. It's an attempt to interpret a consistent and credible belief system out of the impulsive ramblings of a self-destructive neurodivergent teenager chasing the most extreme possible stims. Ultimate Despair as an ideology defies rationality by design.
What does Despair with a capital D mean? I dunno. What does it mean to you?
Culturally, I think Ultimate Despair would be an onion. It would have a lot in common with other kinds of cults; There'd be layers to it. Various depths to descend into when you're ready for the next step of radicalization.
On the surface, the outermost layer of the onion, you have the recruitment and enabling layer. This is where everyone begins their journey into despair. The layer that takes you in and tells you it's okay. It's okay to be yourself. You don't have to pretend. We're not going to judge you. You can find a home here.
This is where recruitment begins, as vulnerable people are given a support network and social structure with one hand, while being fed rhetoric with the other.
On the next layer down, you'd have nihilistic vice indulgence. Nothing matters, there are no rules, so go ahead and do whatever you want. You want to eat the entire pizza? Gamble your savings away? Stab your asshole neighbor in the throat with a fork? You go do that thing. I believe in you.
The second layer is freedom from social consequence. It's where you're taught to stop trying. Stop trying to be better. Stop hoping for a better world. Just give up and indulge your base desires. Despair can be a force for empowerment. Just live in your feelings and do. It doesn't matter what.
At the third layer, you begin to understand what the others are talking about when they say hope is not the enemy of despair, but the fuel for it. It sounded like gibberish before. But you've been listening to podcasts and talking to other members and it's starting to settle in.
You're starting to look forward to things. Foolish, pointless, unnecessary things just to set yourself up for failure. You're playing tricks on other members, inventing lies to get them excited so they can feel the sting of disappointment right alongside you.
Rather than a means to the end of enjoying things, enjoying things is becoming a means to the end of experiencing despair. You're starting to play a trick on your own mind, reframing the hurt and disappointment as enjoyable. You're falling in love with being as miserable as the rest of your community, so you can all commiserate together.
You're learning to wear your misery as a badge of honor.
The fourth layer would then be self-harm. Once people become convinced that despair is empowering then the next step down is the active pursuit of despair. Emotions you depend on can become very addictive. This stage is where trauma becomes a drug.
This stage uses trauma as a ritual of group investment, the way other cults use toxic machismo or financial investment or acts of devotion to their cause. Break your childhood mementos. Shoot your dog. Stab yourself in the gut. Kill your parents. Post pictures of it online and tell your tale so all your bros know how epic of a true despair sufferer you are.
On the upper layers of the onion, they'll assure you that these guys aren't a real thing. Critics of the movement are blowing things out of proportion. But you hit this point and there's nothing better than the rush you get when you find a new form of despair to put on yourself, and everyone else gets to watch you do it and go, "Whoa, I want to get traumatized THAT hard!"
But. Once you've burned all your stuff and killed everyone you love, where do you go from there?
The fifth and final layer is where you receive your mission. You've chased group participation to its farthest possible extreme and nothing means anything anymore. You've desensitized yourself to the world so much that you've become numb to the idea of anything truly mattering. All you have left in front of you is to die for the cause. That's the only purpose your life even has anymore.
You're ready to put on a Monokuma mask and go deface the Statue of Liberty or blow up New York or something. Whatever the leadership structure of Ultimate Despair, which has been largely silent up until this point and allowed the community itself to mold you, now needs from you. You came into this to escape from the burdens of society and now you're ready to become a soldier.
And if they don't give you a mission then you'll devise one on your own. Your final hope is that you'll be remembered as a hero of the cause. Like all other hopes, it is a lie.
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THANK YOU FOR 100 NOTES ON HOW TO REMEMBER.💖💖
I am over come with joy by how much people have been enjoying it! I was working on the next part when I noticed haha!
So in celebration I give you a small look into the next chapter 🥳
*it might change a bit in the final draft!*
“Welcome the 9 pm GBC News, we are currently following batman and robin while they pursue-” Click
You were hanging upside down on your coach, clicking through the local news channels trying to find the best view of the chase. Your laptop was discarded besides you. It’s open to an article about Dick Grayson ‘soaring through’ the annual charity ball on the chandler when he first was adopted into the Wayne family. There were multiple other browsers open, all on the Wayne Family and their lucrative businesses and charities, along with their scandals too.
You said you would do your research.
Your attention was taken away from this ‘research’ as a new alert about Batman and Robin chasing some nameless villain, who had kidnapped some poor boy, on founders island came up. No new station could find a good angle, you were annoyed.
“Damn you!” you toss the remote to the other side of the coach, quickly you flip yourself around and get off of the coach. You mumble about how they do it on purpose, they were trying to make you read their shit article. You had to wait for social media to do its thing of supplying you with clips of your favorite heroes (well not absolute favorites). Your apartment was nothing to overlook, always seems to have been updated without you knowing. It always had the latest tech, or trendiest look. You have been rich for 7 years now and still can't seem under it.
You walk over to the floor to ceiling windows, looking down you see people walking home or to a club, taxis and cars driving in opposite directions. Slowly the news faded to the back of your mind.
Nights in Gotham were always busy, especially near Old Gotham. It was rich with history and culture, and also money too. When you first woke up in this world you wanted to visit every place possible. You went to museums, office buildings, the GCDP nearby, and shops you had never even heard of. You used to stand out on the corner of the street watching the luxury cars pass by, while your ‘Assistant’, Val Miller, carried bags from the toy store you frequented, or the candy stores you couldn’t help but indulge in. Yo had never really had a childhood, but looking back you weren't as grown as you thought. You looked up at the neighboring building, the neon lights danced in your eyes. There was one that always caught your eye.
You went into that office building, or what you know as Wayne tower, once. You were dressed like a typical kid or preteen, you wouldn’t stop looking at all the expansive interior. The front desk workers thought it was the funniest thing that a kid was excited to be there. They gave you a small tour of the base floor level and let you answer some calls. It was great for you. You were just a kid when you came here, and even now you are just a kid. Everything was new and shiny to you.
This place is a far cry from your home near the east end of gotham. There was a high rate of villain bases and criminal activity in your area. While it wasn’t the safest environment for you as a child, it is what you knew. It’s where you learned to survive, how to live. So you tried your best to protect your small place of peace, your shabby second floor apartment. Full of splitters waiting to happen and ready to cause a concussion at any moment, it was far from ideal, but it had running water, gas, and occasional heat. You lived with your mother, she was a brilliant flash of light in the darkest corner of Gotham, but she wasn't alway there for you. While she wasn't the perfect mother, she did what she could with what she had for the both of you.
#batfam#batfamily x reader#batfam x reader#dc x reader#batman#batfamily#dcu#dc universe#dc comics#x you#x reader
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If I ever see another comment wondering if this is reference to Princess Peach Showtime, I swear to god- 🙃
That was just bad timing on my part- 😂
#art by rae#poppy playtime#smiling critters#bobby bearhug#dogday#kickinchicken#hoppy hopscotch#craftycorn#bubba bubbaphant#catnap#picky piggy#ipad pro#autodesk sketchbook#it’s transparent!#guys i swear#all y’all assume it’s one thing#have you no childhoods? have you no culture#roflmao#also i saw someone call this an RPG AU even tho it’s just one of the inspirations
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This election day, I'm thinking of my Nana.
I'm thinking of how as a young woman, she fled political violence in her native Colombia to build a new home in a more stable country. I'm thinking about how she lived a long life, but not long enough to see her home country elect its first ever progressive president (just a few months ago!).
Coincidentally, I was living in Colombia at that time (in the very city she grew up in), and I was able to witness what felt like a miracle. A very conservative country, suffering from the violent inheritance of colonization and catholic invasion and the war on drugs, against a backdrop of the dangerous global rise of the far right--this unlikely country managed to elect one of the most progressive heads of state in the world, in 2022. That's a pretty big deal.
And I'm thinking about this, this election day, because that election was won by a very thin margin. I'm thinking about how it almost didn't happen. I'm thinking about how it was only possible thanks to the highest voter turnout in 20 year. And I am thinking about the countless number of voters who chose to vote for the first time. I am thinking of the poorest and most disenfranchised citizens who showed up at the polls. I am thinking of the indigenous women who rode 12 hours on public buses to vote at the 'nearest' polling stations. I am thinking of all the money and corruption that went into preventing minority citizens from voting, and I'm thinking about how they showed up in the millions and voted anyway.
I am thinking that I would like to see a miracle like that in my own home country.
So if you're on the fence about waiting in line today to cast your vote, I hope that you will think--about the country you want to live in, the future you hope will unfold, and about all of the people it takes to make a miracle.
Because history may deem us nameless and faceless, but when we show up en masse, we are the ones who make history happen.
And yes, maybe also spare a thought for my Nana. Who was in fact a very angry and judgemental woman who supported the republican party for 50+ years, and who would be turning in her grave right now (if the family hadn't had her cremated). Think about the mean angry ghost of my Colombian grandmother, who very much wants you to not show up at the polls to support abortion and other sinful progressive values. Think about her. Do it for her. Do it for Nana.
#Do it! for her#not a shitpost#serious post#politics#ask to tag#I love you Nana but i disagree SO vehemently with almost all of your personal political and religious values#also you should have treated my mom SO MUCH BETTER when she was a kid. all of your kids really#i see you very much as a victim of religious trauma & childhood poverty#followed by the cultural isolation of being a first generation immigrant with no local hispanic community to provide support#plus the failure of late 20th century mental health care almost certainly compounded by medical sexism#recognize sympathize and am indignant on your behalf for all of those reasons and more#but that truth can also coexist alongside the truth that#hot DAMN Nana you and Papa very much failed to provide your children with an emotionally safe and stable environment in which to grow#and me and my sibs are still dealing with the generational trauma#and who knows how many of my cousins. I HAVE TWENTY-ONE COUSINS AND I DON'T TALK TO ANY OF THEM#that is too many cousins to not be in contact with any of them#(and fyi that's on *one* side of the family. on the other side are a dozen half-aunts-and-cousins I've never met#because Other Grandpa was a Certified Piece of Shit)#Anyway. ANYWAY...#apparently i really needed to overshare today. know what? no judgement. judgement free zone#i have no judgement thoughts or opinions i am finally FREE#........gosh that sounds so relaxing#ANYway#yeah. break the cycle of abuse or your descendants will grow up and critique your parenting choices on third-tier social media platforms#when people say 'they will always be remembered' at a funeral--that is a THREAT#what they actually mean is 'OH HONEYBUN YOU DONE FUCKED UP'#.........i want that in my eulogy actually
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I have a germ of a theory that good Christian fiction has stories that are less about shaving down your personality to meet some specific mold of what a good Christian looks like, and more about "how gloriously different are all the saints."
Not that the Christian life doesn't involve fighting against our own sinful nature and conforming ourselves to Christ-like behavior, but I think it makes for better, more realistic, and more universal stories when you also recognize that people have different gifts and flaws and they're going to be called to use their unique personalities to serve the kingdom of God in their own unique way, instead of assuming everyone has to conform themselves to a very specific (often secular-culturally based) image of good behavior. It makes for a much more vibrant story.
#catholic things#books#i'm still ruminating on charlotte yonge#because i usually contrast modern christian fiction with how the classics incorporated christianity#but she's the first classic victorian author i've found that i'd describe as writing christian fiction#which makes for a more direct comparison#she did handle religion in some very good ways#but i tried another of her books after 'heir'#and it reminded me of what i didn't like about the childhood section of 'heir'#but magnified a lot#she wants to show her children overcoming flaws#but she has a very narrow english anglo-catholic view of goodness#and that means her idea of christianity can come across as very judgemental and narrow-minded#things that are not actually sins in and of themselves are treated as moral failings inherent to other cultures#and the kids spend so much time worrying about cutting out sin that you don't get to see enough of their unique personality#i'd be willing to try more from her but i think i'd have to stick to the stories about adult characters
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I think we as a fandom are collectively sleeping on Carolina being raised with Jewish holidays. dude can you imagine her being reintroduced to them once she’s with the reds and blues maybe cus they picked them up as a found-family sort of tradition because of church and they continue them when he’s gone. her getting to relive the sweet nostalgic parts of her childhood with her new family. can you imagine her coming in and seeing all the decorations and food she hasn’t seen in years (this is ofc assuming they didn’t really do holidays on the MOI) screaming and crying do you see it do you see my vision
#she needs something happy her childhood has caused her a lot of pain already#im having some banger matzah ball soup rn and it got me thinking cus this stuff is the definition of warm and comforting simple food#can you imagine Carolina having that again for the first time in years and remembering maybe when Church or Allison used to make it for her#and now it’s the reds and blues doing the same for her and keeping a part of her culture and family alive andjshlfbsldm#im not Jewish myself so I had to do a bit of research for this so if I got something wrong about how holidays and observers work#im very sorry feel free to correct me or add on#rvb#agent carolina
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