You better put that back in your purse 🤭

10/10 is reigen's birthday 🍰

It's so frustrating how the idea of "redemption" and "redemption arcs" has become so commonplace now. I can't even pinpoint where the concept and the true weight of its meaning to a story got messed up, but here we are dealing with the aftermath.

Nesta is flawed. But not flawed enough to need a redemption arc. If that was the case, we might as well be handing out redemption arcs to all flawed characters in this book. Maybe starting with Rhysand for his centuries of terror lol.

In the case of Nesta Archeron, she doesn't need a redemption arc and ACOSF isn't her redemption story. Who is she being redeemed to anyway? It's so silly how there are still people who believe this. Aside from her not even being the villain in the story. It's Nesta who is consistently talked negatively about in this series. There seems to be this adamant group of people who greatly believes she needs to atone for her "crimes."

When really her "crimes" are not assimilating the IC, "letting" Feyre hunt, and treating Feyre poorly when she was younger. That's literally it. She isn't responsible for the death of millions. Hasn't betrayed anyone. Hasn't turned over to the dark side. Hasn't cursed anyone (who didn't deserve it - lmao shout out to the King of Hybern). Hasn't schemed/lied/manipulated at the expense of someone else. She's not power-hungry, give her a good book and she's set for life. Nesta isn't vengeful, despite Amren's beliefs otherwise, never even thought of creating a death trove to spite the IC (though they would have deserved it). She isn't even selfish considering how she is willing to die for the people she cares about. So...

To be fair, there are things she needs to answer for 100%. And a great portion of the book was Nesta accepting her past and learning to forgive herself to move forward. But I don't agree with the belief that this sums up into "redeeming herself."

Mostly because it frames Nesta as the sole offender in the series when time and time again, we see that isn't the case. I do not put all the blame on Nesta, and its clear that the narrative doesn't either:

Nesta nodded slowly. Perhaps it wasn’t just her and Feyre, then. Perhaps all sisters had difficulties, fights, chasms between them. She wasn’t perfect, but … neither was Feyre. They had both made mistakes. And both had long, long lives ahead of them. What had occurred in the past did not have to dictate the future.

With the understanding that Feyre isn't perfect either and also has made mistakes...should we anticipate a redemption arc for her too? When it comes to the IC, they aren't innocents either. This acknowledgement, again, doesn't absolve Nesta of her own actions. But I'm not interested in villainizing her either.

Whatever healing Nesta got from the HOW, was something she found herself. Nesta wasn't sent there with the intent to give her purpose in life. She was sent to the HOW with the hopes of putting distance between her and her vices. Her work at the library was meant to keep her from isolation (as she was prone to do). And the distance did help. But it doesn't take away what was lost and how she was treated at the end. Choice is something Nesta greatly desires in life. Yet throughout the book, her choices were repeatedly stripped away (But I digress, this is a whole separate conversation).

Interestingly enough, the IC with all their talk of helping Nesta actually seemed more capable of putting her in harms way than Nesta herself. Considering how she was SA multiple times, faced death multiple times, and was forced to confront her trauma...all at their behest. Seems counterproductive to their initial goals (But again, I digress).

Everything else happened because Nesta cultivated it on her own. Nobody is stripping that away from Nesta. I'm just not giving the IC and Feyre the credit. She led her healing journey despite the mistreatment she faced from the IC. She made the house because she needed to make the environment she was imprisoned in less suffocating. She found happiness because she worked for it and molded her journey with the support of the people who gave her the love and kindness to see herself through. Nesta's circle is small, and not everyone makes the cut.

A need for redemption or a redemption arc implies that the person in question is not a good person. But Nesta, despite her flaws, is good. More than she was willing to believe. And more than this fandom is willing to admit. Nobody needs a redemption arc for being human.

Here's my take on it: Laudna has finally realized "best friends" is an inadequate description of their relationship. She was casting around for something stronger and just. Landed wrong.

Part 2

guardian's rebirth

iwaoi. strangers to lovers demon hunters au modern fantasy multichapter & complete rated e read here: ao3.org/works/35201593

or: oikawa tooru, 27-year-old assistant professor, specialized in mythology, and heir to the oikawa group thinks he’s haunted. iwaizumi hajime is a (tired) demon hunter who’s definitely not getting paid enough for this shit. chaos ensues.

art by @flunflun

a very jacemond valentine’s day..

Sometimes the trust issues are nuts and we gotta stop and remind ourselves,

It would make no sense for ppl in our lives to waste their time and energy on pretending to care abt us. It would make no sense for them to stay this long and would be much easier for them to just have left by now if they really didn’t love us, be it as partners or friends. If everyone truly didn’t care it would have happened months/years ago and it hasn’t. It would make no sense for ppl to put time and effort into giving us their time and support just to want nothing to do with us

It gets easy to believe that ppl don’t actually care bc u don’t feel like ur doing enough or are enough, because it’s hard to accept that people do love and care about you when you can’t figure out “a good enough reason ppl would stay”

Its harder to have to look at the messes, and the bills, and the lack of energy or health or etc. and accept that ur loved despite ur struggles now, bc then u have to look back and remember how ppl who were supposed to love u despite ur struggles failed to give u the support u needed deserved.

Then u sit and ask urself why, and u ask ur loved ones why, and they give u reasons they love u that u can’t empathize with or struggle to, and it all feels like some incomprehensible scary thing. Things that are unknown can feel scary

That inner child gets easy to get stuck wondering how anyone could ever love u if ur imperfect, bc “even your parents couldn’t do it”

U deserved to be held then. U deserve to be held now. We deserve to have been held then. We deserve to be held now. Nobodies struggles make them unlovable. There’s no such thing as being inherently unlovable

swappaps for the soul

summer wallace alt because he deserves one

Rating: E

Pairing: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary:

Obi-Wan knows the minute Cody’s eyes have caught on the tattoo on his right shoulder, in bold, sharp font: 212th. It’s newer, something Obi-Wan got on one of the rare “vacations” he was able to have during the war. The dark ink is stark compared to the golden marks that grace his skin from his Stewjoni origins. He almost startles when Cody’s thoughts in the Force grace him with an answer to why he froze.

Because, in a way, Obi is theirs. Cody wants to touch, map the plains of his General’s scars... Cody’s projecting out into the Force and Obi can’t help but try and keep a poker face while processing the fact that his commander is interested in him.

why he sleepy epy 😂😂😂

YAYYYY