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no-m4gic · 1 year

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Hi! I'm the anom who asked for the autistic reader and I loved your writing! So may I request the same THH characters but with a reader who's try to be the sunshine in their lives (example: help Chihiro to be himself), but is secretly depressed and hide It from them cause reader doesn't want to seem fragile?

Sorry If Is complex XD thx!

i have limited free time so i know im probably never gonna complete (another) request(s) today. also i discovered i have no idea how to write for hifumi and yasuhiro, so i'm gonna blacklist them and replace them with mukuro. felt like this request seemed like a good prompt for nagito and also i feel like i could replace ishimaru's one with komaeda's as an apology.

sorry if you wanted the girls too, i'll get on them as soon as i finish my work- i didn't have enough time to write for them. i'll write for ishimaru, too. sorry for missing a lot of characters!

p.s thanks guys for your support !! i appreciate it sm <33

that's a long title 😨

the tags are such a PAIN

~ mod sitaya

THH CHARACTERS W/ AN S/O WHO IS THEIR SUNSHINE BUT IS SECRETLY DEPRESSED

BYAKUYA TOGAMI

"damnit s/o, why didn't you tell me earlier? you know i wouldn't judge you."

money = happiness to him, so he wouldn't fully understand your pain. he'll still support you though, if you need anything he'll send one of his workers to get it for you.

i mean if you were gone, yeah, he'd definitely be upset, so whenever he couldn't understand, he'll just imagine how he'll be like if you died or something.

he'll hire a personal therapist for you, unless you want him to be your therapist... which trust me, he is not good at.

bro can't even comfort anyone without making them cry more.

since he can't comfort someone psychologically, he'll comfort them physically, though he'll only show displays of affection at home or when you guys are alone, n e v e r in public.

honestly at this point, he won't give a shit if you stain his rich people clothes with your tears, he can buy the same new clothes again.

he's not that desperate, but can you imagine byakuya singing his s/o a lullaby?

not really, but he'll tuck you into bed himself personally if you fall asleep while sobbing your eyes out.

if you don't, he'll ask if you wanna fly out of japan for awhile, on his rich people private jet.

it's the least he could do to repay you for helping him during his dark times.

MAKOTO NAEGI

"s/o. how could you hide this from me? did you think i was going to criticize you...?"

he wouldn't ask the million questions running through his head first, he'd hold you first.

you come before anything.

he'll hold you for as long as you'd like, letting you cry in his shoulder while he rubs your back and pats your head.

since you helped him show the others he isn't an 'omega male' and also chased everyone who bullied him away, he'll return the favor.

he'll tell the teacher that you weren't feeling well and needed some time to rest in your room.

also he'll bring you your homework so you don't have to get it yourself and do tons of paperwork at once after coming back.

you don't need a therapist, you have naegi tell them as your therapist.

he'll listen to you go on for the entire day, and if you need to break down, you can jump into his arms and break down, using his shirt as a handkerchief.

MONDO OOWADA

"damnit... who did this s/o?!"

honestly he might just break down too.

but then he'll tell himself he's gotta be a man, with balls in front of his s/o.

he'll put his coat around you and hug you, telling you that it's alright and you can let everything out.

you can take that in any way.

he feels really guilty whenever he has to leave you for training or a competition.

but he'll always come back with a gift and your favorite takeout.

if you ever wanna cuddle, go find him. he'll be more than happy to have a reason to hold you.

daily compliments whenever you two meet up.

CHIHIRO FUJISAKI

"s/o, it's okay. you're not hopeless, you're filled with hope, you still have so much more potential,"

he'll offer to accompany you to do some activities to keep your mind distracted and also to cheer you up.

something maybe like styling your hair and making it look ridiculous by putting tons of bright, glittery accessories on your hair.

he'd ask if sharing his own insecurities would help, maybe just so you know he has other countless insecurities than just him fearing showing the others he's a guy.

if making your hair look worse than junko's didn't cheer you up, chihiro would make up some stupid games like hop like a bunny into mondo's room or sing one of sayaka's songs outside makoto's room while he's showering.

speaking of sayaka's songs, he'll blast all her upbeat pop songs in the room and you two can dance your heart out.

LEON KUWATA

"i figured. now come here i'm gonna cuddle your sadness away!"

leon would definitely try to remain positive

the only good side would be that he could skip his daily weekday baseball training, since y'know he likes hates baseball.

but no, really, he'd have NO idea on how to comfort someone properly.

he'd ask what he could do to make you feel better.

as well as bring you out to get ice cream.

while you guys are out you may or may not encounter celestia's cat wandering around aimlessly... and bring it back to leon's room.

obviously you guys return her, maybe style her a little, watch leon get scratched by her and so on.

overall at least you recovered quickly and now everyone can see you smile again <3

BONUS ;; NAGITO KOMAEDA

NAGITO KOMAEDA

"oh s/o. you didn't have to hide it from me, hopeless trash like me don't have the right to judge hopeful people like you,"

well now it was his turn to have his clothes stained with tears.

countless outfits of yours have been stained with his tears, because whenever you'd return late (which was always) he'd think you left him or something, and the closest thing he has to you are your clothes.

he's clingy.

and he'll become clingier.

everywhere you go he'll follow you like a lost puppy.

lost puppy literally. he won't just follow you, he'll beg for your attention.

anyway... back to you, once you even mention you were upset he'd pull you into a tight hug.

imagine how long that tight hug would be with depressed.

verrrrrry verrry long.

he'd wish he didn't have to let go of you.

and he wouldn't. you'd have to literally wait for him to fall asleep just to work your way out his arms.

he'll shower you in compliments and bless you with encouragements.

if you wanted he could ask gundham for a cat or dog or something, or he'd blackmail gundham just to "borrow" the four dark devas of destruction for like 10 minutes before giving them back even though nagito would lie and say they'd forever be gone.

you want, he buy. literally, you just have to say "i want this" and you'll have it.

no more despair only hope.

IM SORRY ITS MISSING SO MANY CHARACTERS ANON 😭

#byakuya togami x reader #byakuya x reader #togami x reader #makoto naegi x reader #makoto x reader #ishimaru x reader #mondo owada x reader #mondo x reader #chihiro fujisaki x reader #chihiro x reader #leon kuwata x reader #kuwata x reader #nagito komaeda x reader #nagito x reader #komaeda x reader

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ataraxiasflame · 4 days

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You know that feeling you get when you by chance find someone to rant with over a mutual passion or a similar opinion on something? Because we all know that negative feelings in fandoms really require a ✨safe space✨ sometimes, so finding someone who is on the same wavelength as you can be blissful.

So, here’s a list of things you can always rant to me about so you don’t ever have to wait for chance to find that safe space:

Loves:

Elucien

Nesta

FMCs who don’t have to be sassy, snarky warriors to be respected/viewed as strong

Aemond Targaryen and House of the Dragon

Actually, a lot of G R R Martin’s work

Fated Mates

The Handmaid’s Tale (I know, random).

Travel

The freedom to appreciate complex fictional characters who are morally grey/black. I’m not an apologist, I swear. I’m just ignoring their flaws (I’m only kidding. Kinda.)

Writing fanfiction

Failing at writing fanfiction but still enjoying it

Any interactions over fanfiction gives me life

Asks

Personal gripes that I often fight (and often fail) the urge to rant about (some more recent, some may pass):

Feyre / The Inner Circle (this won’t pass lol)

Attacks on Nesta in defense of Feyre (this won’t pass either)

Writers who use SJM (most often Feysand/acomaf) as a blueprint for their books.

SJM criticism. I love some of her characters, but they haven’t blinded me to the issues.

Anyone who attacks another for having a different opinion. We don’t all have to like the same stuff. It’s really ok.

People who watch HotD and think that there really is a good and bad side (I don’t hate this. I just think it’s hilarious. You can laugh with me if you agree.)

Any and all Lucien Vanserra criticism. Not being a broody bat-boy isn’t a flaw.

I’ll probably add more to this list when I think of it, but in the meantime, don’t be shy to drop an ask or send me a message so we can rant together 💕

#elucien #lucien vanserra #pro elucien #pro lucien vanserra #elain archeron #elucien supremacy #pro elain archeron #elucien fanfic #nesta archeron #sjm critical #anti sjm #pro nesta archeron #pro nesta #anti inner circle #anti feyre

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nicotachi · 3 months

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(i was inspired by the prev reblog but i figure my tags were quickly devolving into a "make your own post" moment)

the thing about ganyu is that i REALLY like the lore they've provided us with, enough to construct a complex and nuanced character that goes beyond the few glimpses we see of her in the liyue archon quest.

my hot take is i actually, don't really care whether or not those things are explicitly shown in the main storyline. i ship gq for god's sake, and i've never wanted more than a nod for either (i feel like i always have to clarify: i don't particularly expect or even want them to become canon), because i love when the audience is trusted to connect the dots themselves. i know that in fanwork, there's a fine line between assembling the puzzle pieces deliberately left by the creators and making a sandwich out of discarded bread, but i like to think of it as the former.

but what i don't appreciate is yeah, why are they filling her precious screentime with fat jokes and being sleepy or timid?? chenyu vale already showed that they cannot be normal about a woman without injecting weight insecurities. the sleepy girl thing has also been done so many times that i could name like five female characters who have it as a core personality trait. i just don't understand the logic. hbomberguy once pointed out in his "why r*by is disappointing" video essay that it was almost like two opposing forces were writing the same characters and i see that here a little bit.

ganyu in the side materials (story quest, world quest mentions, body language in the CINEMATICS, etc) comes off as a very firm and wise person, while ganyu in the most recent lantern rite is in a constant state of fatigue or discomfort. neither of those are emotions or personality traits!! she's treated as a placeholder at times when they could easily call back to the other, more interesting things they've written about her in the game.

but as an aside: i don't actually agree with any sentiments that favor her soldier past over her secretary role. i believe both are important parts to her just as she is half qilin and human. to box her into one thing or another kind of misses the point of her character imo, that people contain multitudes, and can drastically change over a long enough stretch of time and circumstances.

#kinda ranty not rly a huge point here but Yeah!#meta #text post

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octoberwitchsblog · 10 months

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Idk, the way everyone fights for teams in the hotd fandom is peak example of the media literacy crisis for me. Everyone blaming everyone for loving their favs, people literaly bullying each other over fiction is the purest result of people consuming fiction like it's a football game and not a story with complex themes and subjects. It is fiction ; the fact that people absolutely need to have a strong opinion on it and shame others who don't think the same is so weird to me. Loving Daemon or Alicent or even Aegon doesn't make you a horrible person ; it's fucking fiction. Fiction was never meant to have a sense of moral righteousness to it, especially George R.R. Martin's stories. It's not all black and white ; they're all saints from a certain point of vue but from another, they're all deeply wretched and you should be celebrating such good writing instead of bullying everybody. You can like a fictional vilain for the sole reason that they're well written ; nobody should judge you for that. The things I've seen in here, people going around accusing others to be r*pe apologists because they like Aegon is CRAZY. I always think about how the showrunners were surprised to see people pick sides in such a fierce way because that is not what the show's about ; it's not a little fight between two sides the way you made it to be, it's literaly a family destroying itself and a whole ass continent with it. It's what happens when a destructive force such as dragons is put in the hands of the wrong people. You can claim to be team Black without bullying the shit out of team Green stans and same other way around. It is possible to want Rhaenyra on the throne without belittling other characters' traumas. You can hate a character without bullying the actor or those who love it. It is possible to like Aegon because he is written as the ultimate example of what abuse does to people, just like you can love and support Alicent while condemning the way she treats Rhaenyra after she gives birth. You have been gifted with an incredible show, that is also an incredible adaptation of a great book with magnificent actors and complex writing, and you would rather bully Olivia Cooke or other fans instead of appreciating the deep quality of it all and what it's really about. I am TIRED and I already know everyone's going to be fighting over this because you got so used to consuming low-quality and poorly written media that tells you immediately what to think about the characters, who's the bad guy and who's the good one that you can't see past it to reach the true meaning of a story.

#house of the dragon #hotd #game of thrones #alicent hightower #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #aegon ii targaryen #media literacy #george rr martin #olivia cooke #team green #team black #asoif/got #asoiaf

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thestupidhelmet · 9 hours

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What are your least favorite seasons for each of the main characters? Season 8 doesn't count for obvious reasons.

Hi! 😀

I'm going to start with favorite then least favorite (because I totally misread your ask 🙈).

Favorite

Red: Season 1.

Red's still gruff but more complex. He demonstrates his love and compassion for Eric directly in "That Wrestling Show" and "Grandma's Dead" without being emotionally constipated about it (that's a term I use for Hyde, too 😂). Same with Hyde in "That Disco Episode" and "Career Day". But he still does so in-character. After S1, the writers replied down on him being a hardass. Perhaps some humor was gained, but more was lost imo

Kitty: Season 2

Kitty shows her strengths and vulnerabilities this season. She is the sole breadwinner while Red's out of work and supports him through his emotional crisis about his joblessness. She becomes depressed at Eric's growing up (i.e. when Eric and Donna begin their sexual relationship).

Eric: Season 2

This choice was a little tough for me because I love how good a friend he is to Hyde in season 1 and how strong he is in season 5. But in season 2, he must learn to balance his ego, his insecurity, and his wants vs. respecting Donna and their relationship. Unfortunately, he doesn't learn the lesson fully enough.

Donna: Season 3

Donna grows in independence this season while her relationship with Eric remains an important part of her life. Eric's insecurity and resultant controlling actions ultimately push her away. I stead if pushing her anger (and wants and self) aside to protect Eric's ego, she finally puts herself first in a non-selfish way --

Except for her utter disrespect of Eric in "Backstage Pass" (which is the accumulation of her understandable resentment of him for trying to control her and hold her back; story-wise, it makes total sense and is completely set up for by the writing all season).

Jackie: Season 5

Jackie grows and changes significantly in this season. From bossy to communicative. From living in a superficial fantasy to appreciating the depths of reality. Hyde encourages her independence and ability to take care of herself financially as an adult -- and thus encouragement happens before she's forced by her parents to be financially responsible for the family's estate as a minor (her parents left her without any kind of adult guardian, family member, godparent, nothing).

She discovers her true strengths but overcorrects. She has to (re)learn how to let people support her.

Hyde: Season 2

Hyde's protectiveness of and support for Jackie in this season is e v e r y t h i n g . He starts helping her not because he likes (he doesn't and finds her personality abrasive) but because she's heartbroken and vulnerable and he believes helping her is the right thing to do.

Kelso, of Hyde's best friend, is not only responsible for Jackie's emotional state but also punishes her after she refuses to accept him back as her boyfriend. Hyde not only tries to get Kelso caught by Jackie, he also teaches her a method of protecting herself from bullying -- making himself more vulnerable to her by doing so (i.e. sacrificing some of his own mental-emotional safety for Jackie's).

Fez: Season 1

Fez isn't a joke but a complex character who's emotionally insightful. He's someone who's learning how to fit in with his American friends and sometimes overshoots. He doesn't yet suffer from Nice Guy syndrome and genuinely treats Jackie with kindness. He has the awareness and respect not to try to steal Jackie's affections for himself, despite believing he could.

He calls Kelso out on his bad behavior. His bond with Hyde is well-written, too.

Kelso: Season 6

Kelso demonstrates the most growth and change in this episode -- where Brooke is concerned. He leaves Jackie and Hyde alone now that he's interested in someone else (a selfish, self-interested release). He's still selfish with Eric and Donna, taking their toys without permission and destroying them. He tries to sabotage Eric's waiter job at the Holiday Hotel out of a sense of entitlement.

He doesn't reciprocate any of the friendship and support he's given except at the very beginning, trying to undo the damage between Jackie and Hyde he's partially responsible for.

All of that being said, he works hard at maturing for Brooke to prove himself a worthy romantic partner and father. He chooses a stable, albeit potentially dangerous, career. He respects Brooke's boundaries (although he does try to push them a little), and he ultimately lets Brooke and his child go because he believes that's what's better for them: his most unselfish act in the show.

Least Favorite

Red, Kitty, Hyde, Fez: Season 7

These four are almost unrecognizable from their canon selves in too many episodes. Fez is the worst written of the four. He's reduced to a punchline and punchline giver -- and his disrespect for women a d female friends is firmly cemented. (This transformation began at the end of season 4.)

Kitty is devolved from her intelligent, compassion character to a dumbed-down, alcoholic whose fear at Eric growing up and leaving home is transmuted into hostility and resentment toward Donna (but this transformation began in season 5).

Red is changed from someone deeply in love with his wife and has eyes only for her; has no interest in other women sexually, to the point of feeling guilty and scared when a teenage girl hits on him despite all his efforts to turn her away; to someone who acts like a put-upon husband in a terrible marriage, finds joy (and possible lust) in posing with two much younger car models.

Hyde goes from someone clearly deeply committed to Jackie in seasons 5 and 6 to someone who is now commitment-phobic, disrespects Jackie utterly in "Winter" and after she graduates high school. Breaks promises to Jackie. Shrugs instead communicating with her properly. This Hyde is incompatible with seasons 5-6 Hyde except in a select few episodes where he's written in-character (e.g. "On With the Show").

Jackie: Season 4

Jackie vacillates between being supportive of Kelso's potential success and utterly jealous and resentful of it (and him). She chooses her love for Kelso over money, tolerates his lazy approach to finding a job, gets a humiliating job herself -- and while her envy at his modeling gig is understandable under all the circumstances, her treatment of him is unacceptable.

Kelso: Season 5

First, I have to talk about his behavior in season 4, which leads to his behavior in season 5. Kelso's misogyny hits an all-time high in the second half of season 4, as does his hypocrisy and sense of entitlement. He makes a false equivalency between Jackie's one kiss with Todd, which she is tricked into and tells Kelso about almost immediately, to his months of sleeping with at least two other girls with no intention of ever telling Jackie about it.

He also, hypocritically, tries to see Donna's breasts while he and Jackie are in a relationship.

He becomes paranoid and possessive, stalking Jackie at work. He blames his cheating on Jackie's supposed mistreatment of him. But the specific incident he cites is never shown on-screen nor spoken about in season 1 when he first cheats on Jackie with Pam Macy. He claims men cheat "out of joy" while women cheat "out of hate" and that "girls don't even enjoy sex".

This attitude and behavior carries over to season 5. Where in season 4, Kelso is decent to Jackie during the first half, he's awful to Jackie (and Hyde) throughout the whole of season 5. While he's allowed to sleep with whoever he wants, Jackie's "allowed" only to pine for him in perpetuity and get occasional sex from Kelso as a consolation.

Upon learning Jackie isn't going to abide by Kelso's controlling, narcissistic, self-entitled rules for her life and, instead, found joy with someone else -- worse, one of Kelso's friends, he dies all he can to destroy her happiness. Not because he's in love with her but because of his wounded pride.

Kelso feels humiliated that Jackie is in a happy, fulfilling relationship with Hyde. This fact translates into Kelso's mind into other people believing he's not the hottest, most sexually skilled man in Point Place. Therefore, he must "steal" Jackie back to prove he -- not Hyde -- is the hottest, most sexually skilled man in Point Place.

The above, coupled with Kelso's possessiveness of Jackie, feelings of entitlement toward her, and misogyny, renders season 5's Kelso a completely unlikeable and unsympathetic character. He should've been kicked out of Eric's basement long before season 5, but Kelso's behavior this season -- in the real world with the friends he has -- would have clinched his ousting from the group.

Donna: Season 4

While I understand Donna's character development in this season, and believe much of it is set up well by previous seasons, this is my least favorite season for her. She is in an incredible amount of pain. It makes her self-destructive but also outwardly hostile. She jumps into another committed (for her) relationship rather than talking the time to heal herself.

Donna disregards Eric's own grief to distract herself from her own ("The Relapse"), with no regard -- or care -- that this might deepen Eric's grief. Only her feelings matter to her in this episode, and it's written as if the audience is supposed to agree with her.

Dating Casey is a way to narcotize her grief. But she bullies Eric with Casey. She snaps at Hyde and rejects his friendship when he tries to protect her. She agrees with Casey's rapey advice to Fez about Rhonda.

Yet, as I wrote above, much of her behavior is grounded in the show's previous seasons. As much as I dislike how she acts, I believe most of it is in character because of the specific stressors she's under. It's a shame T7S's writers didn't give her a chance to self-reflect on her season 4 choices and gain emotional clarity from them (beyond, "I was so stupid!")

#that 70s show #that '70s show #eric forman #jackie burkhart #michael kelso #fez #steven hyde #donna pinciotti #kitty forman #red forman #ask #anon #meta #essay #my meta #my essay

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rollercoasterwords · 2 months

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hi rae, i was wondering if there was any specific reason for y regulus is the first one to leave/rebel in atwmd, and sirius being the one who is the most dedicated to being a death eater, bc their roles r inversed from what they r in canon, and im curious if there is a reason y u chose to do that or it was just something that worked better for the narrative (just to be clear bc the marauders fandom is a bit weird, this is a genuine question, im not shitting on your characterization)

lol appreciate the clarification dw tho i get what ur asking! it's mostly explained in the fic in pt ii + the reg pov ch, but happy 2 summarize & explain the thought process etc.

atp i no longer remember if i was planning 2 have reg be working w the order or just be dead when i first started the fic, but i decided pretty early on that i wanted him 2 have a locket-arc similar 2 canon & to be seemingly dead when the fic begins bc i love giving s a dead brother <3 & from there i decided it would work better 2 have him secretly be alive + joined up w the order bc that helps explain how s comes around 2 working w them. so then i had 2 figure out how 2 make that fit both their characters!

the thing abt this fic is that i'm still writing it trying 2 preserve like...what i personally view as the characters' core traits/key parts of their personalities from canon, just transplanted into a completely different world. so s is actually still less dedicated 2 the d.e. than reg in this fic; s is essentially forced 2 join the d.e. the way that some parents ship their gay kids off 2 military school (in the u.s. at least), but bc of the way he was coerced into it he resents the d.e. from the beginning & even tho he's internalized many of the prejudices he grew up with he still has a pretty strong moral compass that creates this ongoing internal conflict w what he's doing. at the same time, the power he gets from becoming a higher-ranking d.e. is what allows him 2 then go let loose & like...fuck around + be gay, essentially, without fear of repercussions, bc he can basically do whatever he wants in private (even if it becomes a bit of an open secret) as long as he's got this scary public-facing persona. so he chafes against pureblood society more throughout childhood + into adulthood, but he's also powerful + charming + able 2 succeed in that world.

reg, on the other hand, doesn't rebel the same way s does growing up + kinda flies under the radar, which would be fine in theory--except reg does want 2 be powerful + recognized, & he develops this sort of inferiority complex + almost resentment of his brother in some ways. that's why he compares s 2 a sponge in his pov ch; even tho s kind of protects reg growing up by taking up their parents' negative attention, he also soaks up all the positive attention, and reg ends up feeling forgotten. as they get older, this same dynamic is echoed in school, where s gets shit on 4 being gay but also is undeniably magnetic + talented, and reg doesn't understand why his brother can't just be normal bc he'd be so popular if he didn't insist on like. being so open abt who he is. & then s joins the d.e. + suddenly he's like this entirely different person & everyone is scared + in awe of him, and he doesn't have time 4 reg anymore. & even tho reg has resented him 4 soaking up all the attention, s is also the only person who's actually paid attention 2 reg in turn, and suddenly that's gone, and he feels even more invisible. so he goes + does this fancy difficult alchemy program but even then nobody seems 2 care, so he finally decides 2 join the d.e. himself bc he wants 2 become a powerful + noticeable person the same way his brother is.

so as in canon, reg actively decides 2 join the d.e. in this fic, and wants 2 be there. but when he joins s pulls the same old trick: he starts soaking up all the attention, suddenly becoming one of voldemort's best soldiers. & for s he's trying 2 protect his brother from being noticed + used for horrible things, but bc he's doing such a good job of it reg doesn't even know what he's being protected from, and he resents s 4 stealing the spotlight again. so reg decides he'll have 2 get voldemort's attention some other way, & he starts paying really close attention 2 things + picking up information he probably shouldn't, which leads 2 him figuring out about the horcruxes on his own--but through that process, he realizes how stupid he's been 2 join the d.e. & like...the depths of depravity in the organization, & ironically by trying 2 impress voldemort he's learned way too much & essentially doomed himself, bc he knows voldemort will kill him if he finds out, and he will find out eventually. so in his frustration + hopelessness reg decides "fuck it if i'm gonna die i'm gonna go out swinging" & goes after the horcrux on his own, & that's when the order intercedes bc they've been after this same horcrux, & james saves his life, & then he's like hey wanna join the order. & reg is like well. what else am i gonna do i basically need 2 kill voldemort now if i ever want 2 show my face in britain again.

so even tho this leads 2 reg rebelling + joining the order rather than s, the roles aren't actually meant 2 be inverse to canon! in fact, the reason s doesn't rebel is largely bc he's trying 2 protect his brother, and then once reg is dead he's just kinda going thru the motions. he's a product of his environment & so there's only so far his questioning goes; he disagrees w a lot of pureblood society but doesn't really question the foundational assumptions (wizards + muggles are inherently different; wizards r superior 2 muggles) + still goes along w the path of least resistance even when it eats at him, etc. but ironically from the pov of basically anyone who didn't grow up w them it seems like reg rebelled + joined the order, even tho reg was the one who actually wanted 2 join the d.e. (unlike s!) so their actions kinda flip-flop, but their motivations remain the same as in (my interpretation of) canon: reg decides 2 join the d.e. + then changes his mind + works against them; s acts out against his family + gets punished for it + ends up doing his best 2 protect those he's loyal to + himself--only in this world, when he acts out + gets punished there's nowhere 4 him 2 turn, and the main person he's loyal to is reg, so he has 2 figure out how 2 protect himself & his brother as a d.e. fun!

#ask #wfrau

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princelylove · 2 months

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I am back from work!

The way you answer requests is unique and so entertaining, each answer seems to have real thought put into it. Your highness is so regal it makes me giddy to put in asks to be answered by you because you really put the effort into answering each with such precision, not skipping over details, and it’s much appreciated.

Your writing seems biblical because it details the shortcomings of man is such a poetic way. In such a human way. But also each is displayed in representation of the greater whole of that person. Bruno doesn’t just do something bad and that’s that, he deliberates, he might scold himself. And especially he becomes the judge, the jury, and the executioner of himself and many others actions.

And yes I do suffer from favoritism :,) I really can’t help it. I feel like mental health wise it would be better to be able to chill with Mista. He’s funny, and witty, and protective! And we can watch movies and go to the beach and have good times! But my heart CRAVES bruno. He’s sat like an unmoving stone in my heart for years. I try to leave him and I just. can’t. I relate to him on a lot of levels with growing up, but it seems trauma went the same and opposite with how we ended up haha. I love how mature Bruno is, and how he cares for people. And I love his haircut SO much haha. I love Bruno so so much but I stress with him that his ability for romance is. lacking. I like Mista’s teasing and that he’s very open, he’s like ‘boyfriend’. While Bruno, bruno is ‘husband’.

Imma stop there before I rant about them forever. Back to it. I hope the giant bruise heals up soon and the pain goes away!! Don’t forget to eat lots of tasty foods you like!!! Eating tasty food will help you feel better!!! A bit of ice cream while recovering ain’t ever hurt nobody!!! Hope you get well soon ♥️♥️

- ⭐️ anon

"Regal." I could just eat you. I like you, star anon. You should frequent my inbox more often.

Humans are so adorable. Their nature fascinates me. I generally like to treat those I write for as if they're alive and the love of someone's life, I think I've said that before, though. Psychology is fascinating in general, you're telling me that there's millions and billions and trillions of people out there and absolutely none of us are entirely identical in nature? So cute. So interesting.

This is a little mentally ill of me but my crushes on fictional characters are a bit serious. I'm so genuinely charmed by them that I take out of character fiction of them as offensive. I'd like to think that I'm doing those I write for justice, they're not just a piece of meat I dangle in front of my readers, they're a real person with habits, oddities, etc. Real humans aren't flat. They have thoughts that don't always match their feelings. Feelings that don't match their actions. Actions that don't match their wants and needs. Sometimes characters are less complex, and writing them differently ruins their character. Writing Bruno as some sort of mastermind is just. Wrong. He's of average intelligence and had good intentions, he values being honest. Not everyone has a thousand layers, but everyone is a human being with a heart and a brain and feelings.

To err is human, yanderes are not without faults. Bruno has many shortcomings, because he's just a man. A man in love, but still just a man. There's some who I'd argue are too ethereal for such a claim; Giorno, Kars, DIO, etc; but they're human too. (Not Kars, but shh)

There's always Something that makes them not as perfect as they present themselves, and that's what makes them interesting. Your efforts to escape were futile even though you could've gotten out. I have an ask related to this in my inbox right now so I'll elaborate on this later, but it's a part of my tangent, so bear with me.

I'm not trying to balance out overpowered characters by giving them more faults, I'm just trying to be a bit realistic about it, as that's a thousand times more frightening. Someone like Bruno really exists. And that's scary!

I've never been in love with someone similar to myself, not even with fictional crushes. When I see someone similar to myself I go "Ah." and shift my focus elsewhere. Prissy types just aren't attractive to me, I'd like someone I fall in love with to balance out what I have. My crushes are fairly consistent in that. When I see someone with the same type of trauma I just suck my teeth. Bruno's trauma is one I don't wish on anyone- adultification is a killer.

But I digress.

You probably have long since forgotten that Guido is a mafioso, and horribly, horribly obsessive. He's a bit brutish, but he doesn't like to play leader, so it's easy to think of him as not as bad as the rest of them. But he is! Guido has beaten people within an inch of their life, and taken more than a few. He may be silly, and more casual than the rest of them, but he doesn't play about what's significant to him.

Guido is more 'boyfriend' than husband because he doesn't skip any steps. He loves the details, the romantics of it all. Bruno jumps to the loving family dynamic the second he sees you. He isn't delusional (in this specific topic), he knows you don't have a ring yet, but fiance is close to spouse, isn't it?

He just doesn't like being as serious as Bruno is. He's acting his age. It breaks his heart when you force him to bring you back home, or when you hurt yourself and he's gotta play doctor. (He means ask Giorno to play doctor, he's squeamish when it comes to you in pain) Of course he doesn't like to discipline you or reign you back in. You're gonna think he's a dick and dump him!

#hearings for the prince #yandere guido mista #⭐️ anon #I in fact had cake when I first read this

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ask-tt-fnaf · 3 months

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put time travel into anything and it becomes better

idea

this is a character ask blog for a goofy FNAF time travel au

I will also post comics occasionally

this au does not have very much lore so have fun and don’t take any o this stuff seriously.

it has time travel cus Henry like. time travel kidnapped them all and now they all have to live in 2020 with him for some reason

this is very early in its stages! advice for anything would be greatly appreciated and welcome!

#ooc- out of character. white text like this

#in character- coloured text (most likely orange or purple, but any colours are in character)

*this blog may contain some willry

these asks will be answered in comic form! *THEY MAY BE IN EITHER A STICK FIGURE FORM OR A MORE COMPLEX FORM! VERY RARELY WILL THEY JUST BE ANSWERED WITH TEXT*

SORRY FOR MY CRAPPY DESCRIPTIONS MY BAD I CANT WRITE 🤓

meet the cast!

(I couldn’t come up with any nicknames/ separate names to tell them apart for Henry lol :3 so I may need some help with that if u wanttt 🤓��👈)

Bill and Henry - from college! William arrived from England not too long ago to get away from his abusive father. Unfortunately, he had a younger sister that he misses dearly- it makes him feel awful that she’s still in that house. When Henry and him met, it didn’t take long before they became the bestest of friends. Henry’s lived in Utah for his whole life. He loves building robots, it’s his favourite thing to do. Meanwhile, Bill likes the performing arts, but designing robots and looking at the things that make them work is fun to him too.

Will and Henry - from around 1980-1983! They’ve just opened Fredbear’s Family Diner together, and business has been booming! They’re living great lives and they don’t see how anything could go wrong. However, Henry and his wife are going through divorce, and William has been springlocked, leaving him with scars over his body. Otherwise though, things are going great.

William - William in 1987. William has divorced, and two of his children have been killed by his own creations. One night, he was drunk and tired and thought Charlie would be the best victim to get his revenge on. He didn’t stop after that, though- he’s murdered five already. He’s a constant chainsmoker, and a very unpleasant guy to be around.

Springtrap and Henry - from 2020. William has gotten springlocked a second time, this one killing him. However, he’s not really dead.. more like part of the undead, taking on the new name of ‘Springtrap’. Henry is lonely, depressed, and old now. Everyone he knows is dead. Maybe someone else will come later.. >:]

‼️some people not welcome! I’m talking to YOU homophobes, r@cists, sexists, zi0nists, weird -philes (p3do/zoo), also nsfw/kink blogs please don’t interact! this blog is run by a MINOR so don’t be weird and don’t ask anything overly sexual‼️

yippee this sucks 🥳

#I had a LOT of debate with myself abt what time springtrap should be from #but I think this works #fnaf au #fnaf #fnaf fanart #five nights at freddy's #willry #henry emily #william afton #springtrap #ask blog #in character blog

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hanzajesthanza · 2 years

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appreciation for sapkowski's geralt

i wrote a long post for r/wiedzmin sooo i'm also going to post it here (feel free to comment on both platforms if you use reddit):

in the midst of everything that's going on with h*nry c*vill and li*m h*msworth, i want to foster some love for the original geralt of rivia, who first emerged in publication in december 1986, way before any netflix show used the name or any actor called himself “geralt.”

because to me, there's only one original, real geralt, and that is the geralt of the books. no one is geralt, except geralt himself.

so, reblog and comment (or leave in the tags) any favorite scenes, moments, qualities, or character development from geralt, or about his relations with other characters in the series, that you appreciate from the book series. and please keep it sapkowski's canon-only, if you can (the books, the short stories, even the non-canon something ends, something begins).

i’ll start:

what i love about geralt is that he holds complexity as an inversion of the trope of the hero. he feels very real to me — he just wants to be left alone, to do his job, but he also gets lonely and he’s overall a sensitive and emotional character underneath the black leather and silver-studded surface. while he’s practical-minded (like in bounds of reason and a shard of ice being annoyed that eyck takes money for hunting monsters because it hurts his business, or demanding that he gets the right amount of agreed-upon pay for the zeugl contract), he also is compelled to do what is “right” (like in the lesser evil, the last wish, or something more intervening with renfri in the marketplace, saving yennefer from the djinn, deciding to go back to cintra to get ciri after all)

i love how he’s always so conflicted, hesitant, and troubled. he often overthinks things, and makes decisions that often don’t benefit him personally, but are either selfless or good-natured. i don’t think he’s a grouch or unfriendly — i think he responds quite reasonably to the world and situations around him (like in baptism of fire, he’s pretty whiney and upset for the majority of the book, but his daughter is literally missing and his broken arm and leg are barely healed, of course he’s distraught.)

he’s complex and yet he’s also simple, as dandelion writes, “straightforward as a halberd shaft.” he doesn’t scheme or plan, which is refreshing in a world of shady sorcerers and spies. he’s straightforward with his feelings and intentions. he loves his family and friends, and that's his real motivation throughout the series.

my favorite scenes for and with him are probably (in chronological order):

the voice of reason iv, where he speaks with iola about his past, his origins at kaer morhen, and his life as a witcher, how he was initially filled with certainty that the world needed him.

the voice of reason v, where he speaks with dandelion about his troubles as a witcher and finding work.

the last wish, when he falls in love with yennefer at the end and thinks about how beautiful she is, how he knew she would become everything. how he regrets scrutinizing her and hurting her with his eyes, vowing to never think like that about her again. how he saves her life with no ulterior motive — the fact that yennefer hears the wish and says that he’s condemned himself to her… they both have such low self-esteem, they’re both traumatized and troubled in their own ways, from their own trainings, but he, as one vulnerable person, reached out to another, equally vulnerable person, implying ‘let’s not tear each other down, let’s try to heal together.’

eternal flame, when he tears his brand new, twenty-two crown jacket, trying to mend it in vain by the fountain. and when he can’t kill dudu, and when he softly laughs at the end, agreeing to go with dandelion & dudu, dainty, and “chapelle” to the passiflora.

sword of destiny. i love how selfless he becomes once ciri enters the picture, and he didn’t even initially know who she was. he doesn’t bemoan his fate as a witcher, burdening a child with his troubles. he acts so kindly and appropriately towards her, entertaining her, protecting her…

something more. all of something more, but especially when he finds ciri, dropping to his knees and holding her so tightly 🥺 promising they’ll be together forever.

blood of elves ch. 1, when he wakes ciri from her nightmare and covers her with the sheepskin, reassuring her.

blood of elves ch. 3, when he instructs ciri to give up her sword, they fight a disagreement, and he makes an impossible leap to catch her.

blood of elves ch. 5, when he swears to philippa that if any harm comes to ciri, he’ll… and then immediately passes out from loss of blood.

time of contempt ch 3, when yennefer wouldn’t let him wear his “pretentious” headband, and he’s messing with his hair and whining about it.

time of contempt ch. 5, when his voice breaks telling dandelion that ciri needs him, that she cannot be left alone.

baptism of fire ch. 1 and 4 & tower of the swallow ch. 3 and 5, every time his knee badly pains him.

baptism of fire ch. 5, when he has fish soup with his newly formed company and grumbles about how they're "a team of heroes, a fellowship of idiots, united by a common goal which none of them understand."

baptism of fire ch. 7, when he speaks with milva, and then speaks with regis, refusing to go through ysgith upon learning that milva is pregnant and after talking to her she decided to keep the pregnancy. he says that he thought he was ready to go to ciri at any cost, but this is too high a cost. he’s not willing to risk milva and put her in danger for himself, her child for his child. like, his company became another family to him, forged in the fire of war.

baptism of fire ch. 7, when he and cahir hold the jaruga bridge together!

tower of the swallow ch. 5, when he mistakes angoulême for ciri, goes hot and cold at the same time, tries to calm himself with axii, and it doesn’t work! and then cooperates, “only for her sake.” because even if she’s not ciri, he recognizes she’s a young girl who needs to be rescued and brought into a family, very much like ciri.

tower of the swallow ch. 5, when he speaks with fulko artevelde and cleverly denounces and dissects authoritarianism as a governmental philosophy. it’s such a good dialogue!

tower of the swallow ch. 6, when he apologizes to cahir for losing his temper and his mind in the mine, and also for accusing him of being a traitor.

tower of the swallow ch. 7, when he finds out that his company is in danger and immediately demands to leave and ride to them.

lady of the lake ch. 2, when he calls regis his friend in the caves underneath mount gorgon.

lady of the lake ch. 3, when he and dandelion part ways and he “gasps audibly” upon hearing dandelion wants to stay in beauclair.

lady of the lake ch. 9… when he and yennefer finally find ciri again, and he greets her “ciri,” he answered, with a lump in his throat, “i’m glad to see you again.” him not feeling anger, grief, or hatred… just fatigue and with a great need to be done with it all. when he looks towards the corridor that ciri came out of, “as if expecting someone else to come from there. ciri shook her head. he understood,” like, he didn’t forget about his hanza, he didn’t forget about cahir and angoulême, even though he probably already sensed they had died… he still was hoping that they would survive. him not interrupting yennefer and ciri’s hug until a long time had passed, recognizing and respecting their mother-daughter bond, not being jealous of yennefer but encouraging their love. and as they descend down the marble staircase, he instructs ciri, still a father to her after all this time and after all these trials, with yennefer behind them, him telling her that everything is just a symbol, and commenting on her swordplay, saying “calmly,” “stick close to me,” and that if ciri ever tries to deflect a crossbow bolt with her sword like that again, she’ll get a spanking 😭

lady of the lake ch. 12… you know why. ψ but to be more specific:"very well," said the witcher, walking towards the exit. "but this is the last time! dammit, it really is the last time!" and "stop," he wanted to cry," where are you going? it’s enough that i always piss into the wind."

season of storms epilogue, when “he” speaks with nimue on her way to aretuza. he says that even more than a hundred years after his death, that geralt of rivia would be happy, if people remembered him, if they remembered the name of his horse. yes, he would be happy… if only he could know it. then they discuss how witchers will always be needed, for evil always will lurk in the darkness. and he reassures her to follow her destiny, which she does, and because of this, ciri follows her destiny at stygga castle!

his very specific aesthetics: his white hair, his weird eyes or as angoulême rhymes, "oczy dziwoczy!", his "hideous smile" and "hideous squint," his angular features, large nose, his (tower of the swallow ch. 7) torn ear and lost medallion, his sword over his right shoulder (and silver sword kept on roach), his black leather gloves and jacket "bristling with silver spikes," and his silly leather headband!

a complex character, a tragic hero, and really, just a normal man trying to survive, do the right thing, and protect his loved ones in a world of war and contempt.

#the witcher books #geralt of rivia #geralt #the witcher spoilers #c: geralt #analysis #not really analysis but its a long post lol

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a-tale-never-told · 7 months

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Important Announcement!

//Greetings amazing readers, Mod Sam here with another post about the status of what I'm going to do for the next two weeks.//

//Firstly, I just want to give a major shout-out to those who supported me last night during my mental rant about my insecurities as a writer and the state of this blog. @freezethunder @spyrkle4 @deustux @ghostshadow-k-r @cicicookie12 @tired-writer-in-progress and the entirety of you all. I'm so glad that I have such supportive people and fans in my life and I'm grateful and appreciate the support massively ^^. You all are amazing and special and never forget that!^^.

//That being said I have been giving this a bit of thought and with how much work I'm going to do next week, I have decided to take a break from writing the story a bit, in order to refresh and get a better direction for the rest of the blog, in terms of writing, quality, better presentation and especially the explanation of the premise.//

// I have to pretty much take a break from writing for I'm guessing two weeks so I can focus on my studies and how I'm writing the story and plot going forward. Two weeks for me is at least enough time to figure out where I'm at and try to improve on most of the issues with this blog. I might be active on the weekends and Fridays, but that's mainly to post the history stuff so you can all as an audience understand what is this world, and how it ties very much with our own.//

// The history essays are certainly now going to be an important part of this blog as an explanation tool as well. I originally planned to introduce my first history essay once the arc had concluded, but with the lack of asks in the past few days, I can almost guarantee that it's mostly due to the lack of historical knowledge most of my audience has. So I am now forced to introduce these posts earlier than I planned to, which is honestly an improvement. For one, I get to talk about a certain topic that I love, and two, it allows you all an insight into the complex and interesting world of history.//

// I've also decided to stop comparing myself to other story blogs, as not only are they far more experienced and have flexible schedules compared to me, but it also makes me come off as a bit of a douchebag towards the other blogs. Obviously, this is not the intention, but it still gives off a terrible, almost Nerdrotic-like look when you openly compare yourself to people who are evidently more experienced than you. It's not a great look, so to speak.//

//What's funny is that when you think about it, this entire blog is just ASOOT with alternate history sprinkled onto it, like a salad. But I want this blog to be so much more than just that!. I want this blog to grow, to expand into reaches beyond what any blog has really done before, with the story, with the characters, with the lore. I want a TV Tropes page, for crying out loud!. But it is obvious that by comparing myself to other blogs, I'm only doing more harm than good. Hence why I have decided to put an end to that.//

// I haven't decided on a time schedule as of yet, but I'm most active on days when I'm not busy or occupied with any tasks or work to do, so I can do that for now. I'll update you guys on that when I finally decide on a flexible time schedule.//

//I have massive plans for this blog going forward with future arcs, especially with the rest of the characters. Harumi and Tenmei, the Kuzuryus, Nikolai, Nidai's dads, and the rest of them, I have massive plans and goals that I genuinely want to share with the rest of you and the story blog community. After all, it's going to be a long way untill we reach the peak of the mountaintop. I just pray that you all still will be with me once I get there.//

//Thanks to everyone who supported me so far, and has followed this story blog's progress from the very beginning. You all are amazing people and I cannot stress how much I value your kindness and words on this site. Thank you for making this blog a reality, despite all the hardship. And just remember to those who might've not heard of my blog or seen it as of yet, I recommend you should, as it's certainly an interesting experience. Don't be afraid and hit the follow button for A Tale Never Told. I promise you that you won't be disappointed and bored^^

//This is Mod Sam from A Tale Never Told, signing out. Take care and have a good one, everybody^^

#mod talks #a tale never told #story post

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twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat · 7 months

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Hiya! ^^ I just wanted to add to the gojo writing praise train! I absolutely adore how you characterise and present Gojo in every piece you've done, he has such a soft and sweet, 'fell first and fell harder' type of vibe (to me at the very least! <:) ) and it just makes me endlessly happy to see such a complex and sometimes closed off character like him be so smitten, sappy, and endearing toward his partner!🥺

Your writing just gives me so so much serotonin and I'm always so charmed by your style, thank you so so much for all of your hard work, and for sharing your creations, I'm wishing you all the best for any and all future creative projects! I hope you have a wonderful day/night! <:)

anon....... thank you !!! sm !!?? u r so so sweet for sending this in … im a lil overwhelmed by this anon love hhhhh psjhd but i !! appreciate it sm !! 🥺🥺😥

and yeah !! i def see gojo as a fell first/fell harder kinda guy pshdhs. i love exploring the more complex, guarded and closed off side of him, but its also so fun to write established relationship fluff yknow? i think itd take a WHILE to fully break down his walls, but once u do i rly believe he’d be so attentive n devoted …. smitten n lovesick ….. soft gojo will always have a special place in my heart !!

aaa just . tysm for taking the time to write this out !!! and for all ur kind words !!! :’3 it means the world to me <3

#i hope u have the most wonderful day ever anon <333 #im working on a gojo piece rn that i think is way closer to like . the more complex canon gojo ? or so i hope … so im excited to get it out #anyway !! ily anon #ask tag ✩

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isfjmel-phleg · 7 months

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October 2023 Books

Tales from the Oakenwyld by R. J. Anderson

A collection that makes me want to revisit these series! I'd read two of the stories before in other forms, but it was nice to have them all in one volume, and the additional material involving earlier versions of the novels was a fascinating look at how the world and characters evolved during the writing process.

The Ages of the Flash: Essays on the Fastest Man Alive edited by Joseph J. Darowski

Some of the articles were more interesting than others, and the book could have been more carefully proofread, but I really enjoyed getting to read a scholarly take on these characters, especially the discussions of them in context with the eras in which they were written. (The concept of the YJ kids and their contemporaries as innately Gen X--with Bart as an anticipation of a Millennial--is a concept I'd like to explore more, especially in light of why the current fanon versions of these characters seem almost nothing like the originals.)

Not All Supermen: Sexism, Toxic Masculinity, and the Complex History of Superheroes by Tim Hanley

An interesting overview of the history of some very relevant and persistent issues in comics. I don't see eye-to-eye with Hanley on everything, but it was refreshing to get an acknowledgement of how poorly both writing and art has depicted female characters, for instance.

The Invisible Boy by Alyssa Hollingsworth

Maybe the most Rebekah Bait book I've read in quite a while. It's told from the POV of a twelve-year-old military child with a very active imagination, a passion for journalism, and a love of comics (specifically for Lois Lane, who is her hero). She initially supposes that a mysterious boy in her neighborhood must be some kind of superhero, but as she gets to know him and pieces together more about his situation, the truth turns out to be quite dark, and she must take some difficult steps to do the right thing. The book addresses a real-world issue that is quite dark for a middle-grade novel, but Hollingsworth handles it in a way that is both informative for young readers while remaining age-appropriate.

There are well-drawn characters, and themes of misjudging others on first acquaintance, and themes of child exploitation (not only of the mysterious boy, but the protagonist herself, whose mother runs a popular blog and sometimes uses her daughter for content in ways that are invasive or embarrassing), and it sounds dark but it really is a hopeful book, and I enjoyed it a lot.

(Also the combination of the Superman motifs with the themes of child exploitation really made me want to reach into the book and ask the protagonist if she was familiar with Superboy, unintentional poster child for exploitation--the themes would interact with each other so well, and that got me wondering if what Cadmus is doing with their cloning is basically human trafficking, and...well, I have questions. And thoughts. I'll stop now, thanks for humoring me.)

The Refuge by Monica Hughes

I heard about this one from an article that discussed it alongside The Secret Garden. It's a middle-grade Canadian novel from the late 1980s that has its own take on the young-person-in-difficult-circumstances-experiences-growth-through-interaction-with-a-secret-place (in this case also a garden), and goodness knows I fall for that plotline every time. This one took a turn that was a bit unusual for this sort of story, but on the whole I enjoyed it.

The Ogre Downstairs by Diana Wynne Jones

I don't think this one is quite as well executed as some of Jones' other works, but it was enjoyable overall, and I appreciated the angle of the initially dreadful-seeming stepfamily turning out to be not so villainous after all.

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny

Creepiness warning if that's a concern, but what a delightful monster book. The world and people are dark and scary and full of hostility, but the answer is compassion and understanding, and that's beautifully portrayed.

(I don't know how you'd like the book, @brown-little-robin, but there was one character in particular--the most monstrous and yet the most human and sensitive of them all--who really struck me as the one you would like.)

Quicksand Pond by Janet Taylor Lisle

I have liked other books I've read by this author, but this one didn't do much for me. It felt incomplete, not fully developed, like reading an early draft.

The League of Regrettable Sidekicks: Heroic Helpers from Comic Book History! by Jon Morris

Exactly what it says on the tin. A light-hearted overview of the bizarre choices in sidekick-creation that comics have made over the years. A lot of what on earth.

(Apparently 1950s!Superman had a plotline in which he adopted a child who became his sidekick but for...reasons? the adoption wasn't feasible longterm, so the poor kid got left on a street corner, fate uncertain, tearfully parting ways with Superman, who tells him, "I'll never *choke* forget you, Jimmy!" ...which would have been a lot more effective if the boy's name weren't Johnny. The Silver Age was wild, guys.)

Robin and the Making of American Adolescence by Lauren R. O'Connor

You've probably already heard me rant about this one, but the short version is that O'Connor chose to examine the character/role of Robin primarily through the lenses of sexuality, gender, and race--mostly ignoring three of the Robins altogether (even if some of them would have relevant to her points), and glossing over Damian's ethnic background because it would have complicated a point she was trying to make about race with someone else. I didn't personally find this approach interesting or incapsulating of what makes these characters so effective, and I would love to see further scholarly discussion from others that would explore the Robins as characters, not just symbols of social concerns.

The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

I was satisfied with the ending but have nothing intelligent to say about this series and no particular interest in venturing into the spin-offs.

The House in the Square by Joan G. Robinson

A weird story, I guess, but atmospheric and compelling. I need to track down my own copy someday.

Secret of the Missing Footprint by Phyllis A. Whitney

Unlike the others I've read of Whitney's middle-grade mysteries, this one is told in first-person by the teenage protagonist, who has a bad case of I-can-fix-him with a troubled neighbor boy, and I love that Whitney absolutely demolishes that mindset, while still allowing both characters to be nuanced.

[Two books that I am omitting from naming in this list because they weren't really my taste but I know the author and don't want to give her any negative publicity]

Comics

Wayne Family Adventures Vol. 2

I read these online quite a while ago, but it's nice to have them in volume form. Don't go into this expecting characterization and relationships that accurately reflect those in the source material (these versions of the characters tend to talk more like they want to get a good grade in therapy than their comics counterparts), but it's good fluffy fun.

Stop drawing Bart as looking exactly like a young Wally, though. They are not interchangeable.

The Ray (1992 miniseries, not to be confused with the longer-running 1994 series, which I haven't read much of)

I plan to read all of DC's 90s teenage hero solos eventually, so after finishing Damage, I started this one. I'm acquainted with Ray from Young Justice and appearances in other things, and he kind of rubs me the wrong way (slapping and yelling at Bart for something trivial, repeatedly asking what's in it for him and acting put-upon when Grant turns to him for help, that sort of thing), but I was prepared to get perspective from his solo.

...and I was left with more questions than perspective. Ray has an utterly bizarre backstory--raised to believe that he had a condition that made him deathly allergic to sunlight and growing up hidden away indoors and only active at night, only to learn at age eighteen after his father's death that he has light-activated powers and his real father was a superhero. There's a lot to unpack there. But the narrative was more interested in the action and Ray's adjusting to his powers than his adjusting to life in the real, sunlit world and how his upbringing would have lingering effects to live with/work through. Maybe this gets explored more in the other solo, which I'll get to eventually. But for now I'm still in the dark on this guy.

Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.

I know Courtney Whitmore from appearances in other things I've read. Loved her in Stargirl: The Lost Children. But in this series, which introduces the character, she is...a lot less likeable. In fact, she's rather a jerk, going beyond ordinary teenage angsty orneriness to being just plain malicious and spiteful (everything from trying to deliberately sabotage her mother and stepfather's marriage to generally being rude to everyone, even people who are on her side). Clearly character development does happen eventually, but it doesn't unfold very believably in this series, which made it a difficult read for me.

The Flash 1987 #62-118

I'm in the process of reading Mark Waid's take on Wally, and it's overall very good! Waid has an almost literary style that's atypical for similar comics and which is delightful to read. His Wally is a flawed but human and likeable character, and the stories feel grounded despite bizarre premises (for instance, Wally's backstory, as established in the Silver Age, is that he acquired his powers the same way as Barry in a massive coincidence--but Waid finds a clever way to justify even that) because characterization and emotion are handled realistically. So far, some plots have been better than others, of course, but I've been enjoying this and will keep up with it as far as it goes whenever I find time.

#random personal stuff #lots of reading. lots of opinions. hopefully you're up for that.

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okthatsgreat · 8 months

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new opddmh updates..... like. three of them. crazy. haven't been keeping up as well as usual (acting stuff and work tag teaming my free time and absolutely destroying it) but i have finally started to binge and i truly truly love what u r doing w makoto and miu. so different but still connecting on an in-depth level and balancing eachother out ....... sometimes a relationship is an ex-reality show killing game figurehead and the world's worst teenager fresh out of the hospital against the world. do u have any insights on the way u write relationships and connections or just them in specific that come to mind bc oh my god. please do tell

HELLO AGAIN :]!!! AND HAHAHAH THATS ALL GOOD ive been so busy also FINGERS CROSSED IM ABLE TO GET MY UPDATE SCHEDULE ON TRACK LOL

TALKING ABOUT THIS FIC!!! :] big ole ramble down below lol

(i use the word "partner" a lot here but just know i am not referring to strictly romantic relationships lol)

OHHH GOD. relationship writing advice HMM HMMMMM. it really is very complex bc there are SO many different types of relationships that can be written about ghfdgjh so advice definitely varies!!! i think something helpful that i've learned is that unless you are purposefully examining power dynamics it always helps to view both sides as fully realised characters. very very rarely do you want to have a character who is solely there to agree with their second half and have no personality or history outside of this. i see this happen a LOT with romantic pairings but it's also an important note for platonic pairings as well!! ESPECIALLY if the main focus of the story is on this specific pairing-- it shouldnt feel like one person is a human being while the other is a cardboard cutout whose only purpose is to be there for their partner. again there ARE a few exceptions to this and how it is portrayed but its the main rule i like to stick to!! :]

if i feel like ive written a character who is solely there for their partner something immediate i go to is giving both characters something that separates them!! most of the time this includes fleshing out a backstory thats different from their partner, that might influence the way they see things within the narrative. give them a different hobby, maybe a different friend group! give them a different perspective on the events that are unfolding, a different way of coping that might not be beneficial to their partner!! and remember that it is OKAY for them to not agree on everything!!!! do not be frightened into thinking you need every single relationship in your story to be perfect and unproblematic and completely agreeable, especially for longer narratives that call for conflict

OH AND IN REGARDS TO FANFICTION... piece of advice i try to follow is donttttt try to mold characters into entirely different people just so they can stay happy and agreeable with their partner lol. if theres tension theres tension!! if theyre petty then theyre petty!!!!! even if there isnt conflict and youre writing fluff, you dont have to erase their personalities just to fit them together as a happy couple! sometimes the challenge in writing comes from finding what happiness means for that specific character/pairing, and that may be very different from the typical idea of romance/happiness!!

AND NOW ON TO MAKOTO AND MIU first of all. i am so sorry for making you read paragraphs upon paragraphs of me just rambling nonsense at you GHFDKGSH BUT I APPRECIATE IT!!! and second of all this technicallllyyyy is advice i guess but its WAY more specific now!!! lol

anyways when it comes to writing their relationship most of their dynamic is based off of their differences! opddmh miu is brash and loud, and even though she is trying more and more to filter what she says she still speaks before she thinks and grows restless very easily. opddmh makoto on the other hand cant afford to be brash and loud and thinks quite a lot before he says anything, and is lot visibly calmer. so its fun examining how their differences are able to influence the other throughout the fic!!!! miu NEEDED that calming influence considering the state she was in when makoto found her, i quite frankly have no idea where the hell she would be now if makoto hadnt been so patient and understanding ghfdksghkf. makoto on the other hand is a man chained down by responsibility, so much so that his life has become extremely dull in his eyes just because of how repetitive it has started to become. miu is a serious change to this and offers him some kind of purpose while also reminding him of not only how SCARED he was as a teenager first exiting the simulator but also how unrestrained he had been before the years went by. theres a balance there!!!

but at the same time, there ARE some similarities. theyre both a bit paranoid, and even if miu is more willing to be vocal about her distaste theyre both scared of danganronpa as a company. they also both strive for some kind of peace, even if they have different versions of it-- makoto wishes to be unburdened by the weight of responsibility and his Ultimate Hope persona while miu wishes for stability in her relationships with others, even if she just isnt the best at it. its why i like writing small moments such as the two of them just sitting in the car and chatting or the most recent moment where theyre not talking at all but are still comfortable in each others company-- they dont explicitly tell the other that theyre super happy and at peace but they both subconsciously understand :)

OKAY CUTTING MYSELF OFF!!!! GFHDGFDJ THANK YOU SO SO MUCH <33

#ask lee #kozuelovemail #opddmh

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